MINISTER’S APPEAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 7 June 1937, Page 9

MINISTER’S APPEAL

WORK FOR SUSTENANCE MEN. NAPIER DISCUSSION. NAPIER, June 5. A large and representative gathering of local bodies met the Acting-Minister of .Labour (Hon. P. C. Webb) in Napier to-day, the Minister making an urgent appeal to set' politics aside and co-operate to the full with the Government by proceeding with local and national works that would absorb the total number of men on sustenance in the districts. “1 appeal to the district to remove the stigma of sustenance from ablebodied men who are being wasted on sustenance when they can be employed in useful and economic work,” said the Minister. “1 can promise the fullest help and co-operation of the Government. For a long time ail the Hawke’s Ray members have been urging me to see what could be done in getting the men useful work, and I want you all to leave your politics outside and bring in with you your knowledge of local affairs.”

The pointed out that in Napier and Hastings there were nearly 1000 men on sustenance to-day, and sustenance was the most demoralising form of relief that could jiossibly be given.

“I want these men to have full-time work,” said Mr Webb. “Not just brushing the dust off the street, but doing municipal, national and county work of real importance. There is wor kenough to be done all over this country to absorb ten times the number of men who are out of work today. ‘ I believe it can be done, and I am asking the co-operation of local bodies. The country I have travelled over in the last few days can be made to carry a population greater than that at present carried by the whole Dominion, and in developing the country the vital factor of secondary industries will also be developed.” After referring to the problem ol the youthful unemployed of the depression, the Minister said in conclusion that he had asked the local bodies to meet him because he wanted to know their difficulties. He was confident that the problem could read-

ily he solved and when this was done the country would be able to look for people to-come from abraod to assist m future development. A resolution was put forward by the Mayor of Hastings (Mr G. A. Maddison) that the representatives' of local bodies, in tlieir desire to co-ope-rate with the Minister in satisfactorily solving the imemplloymont problem, ask tlieir respective local bodies to prepare a programme of work and to reassemble for the purpose of discussing the means they consider the Government should adopt i nthe execution of the programme; also, that the meeting should consider the manner in which the Government should be approached for assistance. The resolution was unanimously passed. The Minister expressed his pleasure at the conclusion arrived at and said lie was confident the discussion would bear fruit.