UNEMPLOYMENT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 10 March 1927, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

GOVERNMENT’S SCHEME DETAILS ANNOUNCED. RESTRICTION OF MIGRATION BY TELEGRAPH; —SPECIAL TO THE STARWELLINGTON, March 10.

As foreshadowed in these columns, an extensive scheme for relief unemployment has been prepared by the Government), involving} the co-opera-tion of several State Departments. Details furnished in a statement made by the Prime Minister indicate early openings for 1950 unemployed men, ati a scale of wages, which has been revised to exclude men who might otherwise get outside work, and it is indicated that further developments will occur if cireumsanees warrant it, though stress is laid on the point that the Government has to carefully balance its financial burden against the important responsibility of providing work for workless. The Prime Minister states that the Public Works Department is already employing 2000 men in excess of its scheduled needs, but he says: “-It is realised that while the Government cannot reasonably be expected to shoulder the whole responsibility of finding employment for those out of work, the interests of the country, as well as the dictates of humanity, render it ; necessary that at the present moment' the utmost should be done that can be done. The Government is accordingly exploring every possible avenue of increasing the amount of employment available, both private and public. They are enquiring into the position of the coal mining industry, with a view, if possible, to 'increasing the amount of coal purchased locally. It is also arranging for an investigation into the cause of the depression of the timber industry. It. has taken steps to restrict, during the winter months, immigration of unskilled workers. The Forestry Depajtment can, if necessary, employ 550 workers as soon as the planting season commences at the beginning of next month, and the arrangements made by the Public. Works Department have progressed so far that work under that Department will be made available immediately, or in the near future for some 2000 men in addition to those already employed. The greatest care will be taken to ensure that, as far as possible, the money will be expended on reproductive work, but it is here necessary to state that work on which these men will be employed, though of distinct value to the country, if onlv in the direction of providing better" access, particularly for bac.kblock settlers, is nevertheless, in advance of the programme laid down and necessitates the provision for extra finance.” Details were given by Mr. Coates ot the openings available in. from one to six weeks in every public works district in New Zealand.ln Auckland there would be jobs totalling 750,-in Wellington 175, Stratford 60, Dunedin 230. Remuneration will be based on the cooperative contract system where possible, so calculated as to return to the average worker 12s per day for married men and 9s per day for single men. Where it not possible to arrange for cooperative contracts, employment will be on the hourly basis at the above rates.