UNEMPLOYMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16664, 24 September 1914, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT.

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY WITHDRAWN.

CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BODIES UNNECESSARY. <

WORK OFFERED ON DYER’S PASS ROAIX

In regard to the proposal of the Minister of Public Works that a conference of local bodies should be held to decide upon united action in finding work in a given place for those unemployed, the money spent to be subsidised by the Government, the Mayor (Mr H. Holland) sent the following telegram to Mr Fraser:—

“In reply to your memo., I do not think it possible to get the local authorities to agree to spend ratepayers’ money outside their respective districts, but will call a conference as requested on Thursday morning. lam of the opinion that the best plan is to subsidise local bodies up to faxed sum to find work for married men unemployed in their districts, the special committee sot up by the Labour Department to decide whether such work is entitled to the subsidy or not.” Yesterday Mr Holland received the following reply from the Minister:— *■ I regret to find from your wire that thefe are insuperable difficulties in the way of my proposal of the 21st. I therefore withdraw my offer to subsidise money spent on work in one particular place, contained therein. Hence, the proposed conference on Thursday will be unnecessary. This will leave the several local bodies free to spend their own funds as it suit's them best. I was chiefly concerned in helping to provide work for unemployed married men, and have iustrv ed the engineer to set at work on Dyer’s Pass Road married men in need of employment. These men. will be able to obtain work by applying through the Labour Bureau, when the District Engineer will take them on. I have provided a sum on the Estimates for this purpose, and will thus supplement the efforts of the several local bodies around Christchurch in the way probably more satisfactory- to the parties concerned.” Mr Holland states that, in consequence, the conference to be held this morning at the Council Chambers will therefore be unnecessary" but he will be in attendance to discuss the matter with anyone who may call.