RIVER BOARD SCHEME

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 222, 20 August 1931, Page 7

RIVER BOARD SCHEME

P SUGGESTED RELIEF WORK. p DEPUTATION TO CABINET. H CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. KBj Telegraph—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. E Provision for the employment of men Stinder the No. 5 scheme on river projection works in the Manawatu was pought by a deputation to the Prei'mier, the Minister of Public Works 'and the Minister of Labour from the Manawatu-Oroua River Board to-day. ( The chairman of the board, Mr W. ;6. Carter, stressed, the urgency of the 'work and suggested that if the Public pVorks Department provided the nia- - chinery and the cost of hire it could be /.placed against the State subsidy already promised the undertaking. I, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., said Palmerf Eton North had 1350 unemployed and I work was running out. The deputation • had suggested an opportunity where /men could be absorbed. The UnemIployment Committee was at its wits’ send to know what to do. If the Government agreed to let the board have ithe machinery as part of the promised [(subsidy a start could be made with jjiho undertaking at once. • The Minister of Labour: Who would ,-pay the insurance ? | Mr Nash: That could be attended to. ft Mr Nash added that 80 to 100 men gjcould be put on the undertaking at | once.

|)' Mr G. A. Monk, chairman of the | Horowhenua County Council, described Pi the area proposed to be dewatered as S one of the most valuable in the Doll! minion, capable of carrying a large [/population. In the second place the / work would provide reproductive eme!' ployment. | Mr W. L. Fitzlierbert, of the Palmjferston North City Council, in support- | ing the proposal said the council had |. done much to help the Government in {/'finding work for the unemployed, but I the funds available for that pui-pose f were now exhausted. | _Mr J. Hodgens, another City Coun- | cillor and a member of the Unemploy- | ment Committee, predicted that if the ! request were granted up to 500 men \ could be employed on the work in a | few months. In two years’ time the 1. land would be carrying stock and \ would be under production. I Replying, Mr Forties said the Govt ernment had already promised a sub- | sidy on the money raised for the work. I Whether the undertaking could be brought under the No. 5 scheme was a j new aspect and an important one. The r. Unemployment Board was aiming to find work of a reproductive character ‘ and he had a doubt that the freeing of the land from the flooding of the river would return interest on the capital S invested. He suggested that the deputation confer with the Minister of ) Labour and the Minister of Public I Works to see if a workable scheme /•could be devised. If that were done ; possibly some scheme could be formu- ; lated whereby men could be put to : work on the undertaking. I Mr Carter asked whether the coni' ference proposed could be held this 'afternoon. ~ .. | The Minister of Labour said other engagements had been arranged for to- / day. He added that lie wished to help | the deputation in every way. | Mr Carter said that if the commitItee conferred with the Ministers some iof the present difficulties could be Sib- ■ The Prime Minister said a time for sfhe conference would be arranged and given through the members for the district.