UNEMPLOYMENT.

Grey River Argus, 22 July 1926, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT.

NO IMPROVEMENT. IN SOUTHLAND. i INVERCARGILL, July 21. The position with regard to unemployment in Invercargill shows very little change. The number of men registered at the Labour Bureau is still in the vicinity of 75. A Labour official stated that unless relief work is greatly extended. he does not think there will be any material change in the number of unemployed for some weeks. He hr.d also gained the impression that a recurrence of the unemployment was to be expected during the next two or three years. This applies more particularly to the northern centres, as the position in Invercargill was must less severe than it was in Christchurch or in other towns. STATEMENT BY THE HON A. D. M ’LEOD. WELLINGTON, July 15. Speaking in the House of Representatives this afternoon, the Minister ot Lands (the Hon A. D. M’Lcod) raid iie recognised the difficulty of providin. adequately for the recurrence of sea-

sonal unemployment, and declared u..< Cabinet was earnestly considering the matter at every meeting, Particular!;difficult was the position of the marriet. Iman, but something was being done for him. Mr 11. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East): But there, are 2000 of them. The Minister: 1 am not prepared to admit that there are 2000 married men out of work in this country. Th.re ure very often two sides to the statements such as we have been hearing to-day. Mr Armstrong: ies, tne starvation and the other side. The Minister continued that the Go- ■ vernment had embarked upon works near the city which, although perhaps necessary, would not become reproductive for live or 10 years. This was .done in order that married men who could not be expected to trek to the ‘country with their wives and families might be in work. Mr W. A. Veitch: Charitable aid is not reproductive. ■ The Minister: Granted, but it is almost impossible for a married man to leave his family in the town and go to the country himself. Every effort is being made to get them work near the towns, which will, in a reasonable time, become reproductive, but there is ’no keenness in the minds of many of the single unemployed men to go to the country. I do not say that they would be much use if they did go. Mr W. E. Parry (Auckland Central): That h quite unfair. Mr J. A. Lee: Give tn cm a chance. The Minister: I speak without disrespect. They are totally unfit for the ’country jobs through having spent a ' their lives inside. A large number ot them, if sent out, would fail to make a diving. Mr J. M’Combs (Lyttelton): Th' difficulty is that they arc coming in from the country to me towns. The Minister: Yes, if you find th( work in the towns they will come in from the country. Mr 11. E. Holland: Is it not a fact ■that the great majority of those unemployed in the city are general labour era? The Minister: I am not in a position to answer that question. 1 say, how ever, that hardly a day passes without Cabinet considering the position, am wo realise that something will have tc be done to find work for them, work which can reasonably be pushed ahead