THE UNEMPLOYED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 164, 12 June 1926, Page 9

THE UNEMPLOYED.

DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. Per Pres* Association. WELLINGTON, June 11. A deputation from tho Wellington Unemployment Relief Committee met the Prime Minister to-day to stress the urgency of the unemployment situation.

Mr A. Cook, chairman of the committee, in the course of a statement, said that 50 or more of the men engaged on the public works contract at Mangaliao were Italians. Mr Coates expresed surprise, and asked where they came from. Mr Cook said that thdy had been drifting into positions for months past. Many New Zealanders had been put off tho works during the past week but none of the Italians. He did not contend that the Italians should be dismissed, but contended that they should not have preference. Mr Coates: Certainly not.

Mr Cook also said that twelve men lmd been put off at Mokau and ucemployed put on in their place. Mr‘Coates said lie would deny that absolutely, and added that the number of men had actually been increased. “My concern,” he said, “has been to keep these men going and certainly not to sack them and put others on.” Mr Cook said he might have been misinformed, but he was sure of the facts regarding Mangaliao. Mr Coates, replying on the general question, said that as far as it was humanly possible, the Government would join with labour _organisations in overcoming the present trouble. His one thought was that all should put their shoulder to the wheel. The matter was now being dealt with by conference, and he hoped that legislation which he would bring before Parliament would result- in a lot of the trouble being rapidly got rid of. He could not agree to public works being used for unemployed relief. That would be going back to the good old days.

A conference of representatives of local bodies and social organisations in Wellington discussed means of meeting the unemployment situation. Tbe Mayor remarked that the unemployed should be classified with those who were able to give a fair day’s work for a day’s pay, and those who were unable to do so. In the latter case his opinion was that the responsibility became a national one, though local bodies must bear their share. Two committees were set up, one to consider tho commencement of useful relief works and the other to deal with cases of distress and those in need of immediate assistance.