IMMEDIATE WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20375, 2 October 1929, Page 10

IMMEDIATE WORK.

TOTAL OF 1500 MEN.

PRIME MINISTER'S PROMISE.

FORESTRY AND OTHER TASKS.

SPECIAL, CABINET COMMITTEE

[BY TELEGRAPH.—-PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, Tuesday

The immediate employment of 1500 men, the first instalment of the Government's scheme to provide work for the unemployed, was announced by the Prime Minister,' Sir Joseph Ward, in the House of Representatives to-day. Sir Joseph said that with the return to Wellington of the Ministers who constituted the Cabinet Committee tliat was handling details of the organisation for the absorption of the unemployed, lie had been able to assure himself that they had finalised their machinery proposals for carrying out the scheme. He was able to announce, therefore, that the Government was going ahead immediately with the execution of the plans it had been preparing to absorb the whole of the unemployed, and applications would bo received immediately from men requiring work. Other Work i,s Required. As a first instalment, 1000 men would be engaged immediately by the State Forest Service, and, in addition, at least 500 more would be employed on various works to bo started by the Public Works Department and on land improvement, irrigation and swamp drainage. Other avenues of employment would also be opened as required.

" I desire to make it clear that tlio Government intends to put an end to the discrepancy which is so often stated to exist between the number of unemployed as disclosed by the Labour Department's register and those stated to be known lo trades unions and others to be out of work," said 'the Prime Minister. "To this end it has been decided that all men genuinely wanting work must register themselves with the Government labour bureaux, and work will be :found for them, With the commencement of various works which arc to be started within the ne.\'t few weeks no man willing and able to work will have any excuse for stating that he is unable to get it. In this connection the Government expects that trades unions and other. unofficial labour organisations will extend thoir fullest cooperation in ensuring that men are properly registered. - . 4 , " " An Important Departure." " An important departure which is a feature of the present proposals is that, whereas in the past no attempt has been made to provide especially for tradesmen work for which they are most suited and most able to give a full return for the money expended, that is in their own occupations, this is now being done. In other words, the unskilled, and, as far as possible, the skilled worker, will be provided for, and I am confident that jt will bring good results, preventing a skilled worker from getting out of touch with his trade ;l and from becoming discouraged."

The Prime Minister said that to ensure the greatest degree of co-ordination and expedition the operations are being supervised direct by a committee of Cabinet Ministers, consisting of the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands, chairman, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, Minister of Labour, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, and the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways, with Mr. W. J. Shanly as secretary. To work under the Ministers, and keep them in touch with thci actual progress of work, there will be a selected committee of departmental officers.

RECORD OF UNEMPLOYED. ALL MEN MUST REGISTER. A WIDE RANGE OF WORK. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTpN, Tuesday. An invitation to ail Uiose unemployed in New Zealand to register immediately at the Government labour bureaux, r.s a preliminary to participating in the Government's offer to absorb in five weeks all who are out of work, was made by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, in the House of Representatives to-day. " The Government intends to put on labour throughout the country, but in order to have system instituted I want to invite those who are out of work and want to take advantage of the Government's offer to put their names on record at the various labour bureaux throughout the country," said the Prima Minister. "We are in a position to employ labour now, but we want to have it svstematised, and wo want to know that we are accepting the right applicants. This intimation will convey to those who want work the correct way to go about getting their names submitted to the Government.. " We have had a meeting of the Cabinet about the matter already, and wo have decided upon the course we sre going to pursue. It is necessary to get the business under way, and the applicants must apply at the labour bureaux, which will forward the names to tho Government. Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour —Auckland Central): What is thei nature of the work offering ? The Prime Minister: Various kinds of work—railways, land preparation, buildings, forestry, reads, and every kind of work that the Government is doing. We want the applications in. Wo are in earnest about it, and we want to absorb the labour offering. Every class of work the Government has at its disposal will be utilised to absorb those out of work. Mr. J. A. Nash (Reform —Pahners'on): Is any provision being made for men unable to do heavy manual work ? The Prime Minister replied that tho allocation of men on account of (heir individual capacity was a very difficult business, but each case would be' considered on its merits. If suitable work could be found it would be provided in the cases referred to. Mr. F. Langstone (Labour —Waimarino): In country districts there are no labour bureaux. " In those cases the men can register at the post offices," replied the Prime Minister.