CLOSING THE GAP

Northern Advocate, 15 June 1931, Page 6

CLOSING THE GAP

EX-SERVICEMEN PARADE,

COLLAPSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT BRIDGE. TEMPORARY STRUCTURE URGED. I ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT. I I (Special to * 1 Northern Advocate." 1 DUNEDIN, This Day. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr R. S. Black, on his return from Wellington, said he told the Prime Minister that local bodies had no means Avhatever to carry on the task of providing for such a tremendous number of unemployed people. Mr Black said ho frankly told Air Forbes that if Avar started tomorrow the Government j Avould find the means to buy ammunition, and it was surely more important to buy food to keep people alive instead of starving. The Mayor added that personally he thought Messrs Forbes, Coates and Holland should sink party differences and call Parliament together before June 25, and that in the meantime these three should take the responsibility of continuing- the Unemployment Board’s No. 5 Scheme. MONEY SHOULD BE FOUND. AUCKLANDER ’S OPINION. (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. Auckland members of Parliament, as the representatives of local bodies, interviewed today, are unanimous in the opinion that the Government could and should meet the emergency caused by the exhausted Unemployment Board’s funds. .They urged the money to enable the No. 5 Scheme to be continued, for a further 14 days, by Government to advance sufficient which time Parliament would have validated the irregularity, and made fresh proA'isions for the future.

LAND DEVELOPMENT URGED. (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. There wore about 200 unemployed ex-scrA’iceinen at the R.S.A. headquarters this morning, and they expressed their willingness to take any work that epuld be got. Sir George Richardson discussed the situation with the men, and asked them if they wore prepared to make any further sacrifice. He suggested that the Government should at once be urged to start a scheme of laud development, the ex-scrvicomeu to be provided with rations and a little pocket money while working, and steps taken to look after their wives and children. The ex-serv'icemen gave a unanimous answer that they would be prepared to work under those conditions.