OPENINGS FOR LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20882, 26 May 1931, Page 11

OPENINGS FOR LABOUR.

MINISTER INVESTIGATING. SPECIAL WORKS SUGGESTED. ENCOURAGEMENT OF BUILDING. A scheme is being investigated by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, to employ a number of men 011 Government works in the country, irrespective of tlio Unemployment Board's farm schemes. Speaking at Otahuhu last evening, the Minister said the proposal was to find money to enable men to be employed in forestry work, land development, special loading work and building. All the work proposed would be entirely removed from the land development and roading work at present in hand in connection with unemployment schemes. Referring to the building scheme, Mr. Smith said that hundreds of skilled men wero out of work in Auckland because or the slump in tho building trade. If some scheme could be put into operation to encourage building throughout the Dominion it would be a great help in giving work for the builders and men of allied trades. Jle hoped to arrange something in this direction next week. "We have not had a chance to bring about anything that will enable men to get into avenues of permanent employment," said the Minister, "but I believe that in the course of a few months there will be a definite tendency to call on more labour in the industries."

-4s far as unemployed women were concerned, Mr. Smith said he proposed asking the Unemployment Board to sanction the appointment of committees to deal with the problem in various parts of the Dominion. These organisations would bo asked to investigate methods of raising the necessary money. In the meantime the immigration of girls to New Zealand had been stopped.

OTAHUHU COMMITTEE.

REQUEST TO CONTINUE. INTERVIEW WITH MINISTER. A visit to Otahuhu was made by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, yesterday, when he met members of the former Otahuhu Unemployment Committee, which had resigned on April 21. The Minister said he was extremely sorry when he learned the committee had decided to disband as he had been gratified and highly appreciative of tho assistance which the committee had given.

Mr. W. J. Nicholson said when the committeo met just prior to the commencement of tho revised No. 5 scheme, an officer of the Department of Labour attended, and after discussing the new rules with him, the members felt there was nothing left for them to do. This officer said quite definitely that ho would determine the eligibility of men in any doubtful cases.

Mr. F. W. Grey said the officer had mado it plain the committee was not wanted.

The secretary of the committee, Mr. J. M. Deas, said the selection of men for employment under the original scheme had been left to committees, but in the amended rules, the committers were only called in when the certifying officer was in doubt. The view of the committee was that the board had preferred to rely on departmental officers and disregarded the collective local knowledge of the committee.

Mr. W. Slaughter, officer in charge of (he Auckland Labour Bureau, said it was news to him that the committee and the officer had differed in their views. The officer was working harmoniously with all the other committees. The Minister said he would mako inquiries as to the position. It was the desire of the board to have committees working everywhere. He would like members to disabuse their minds of the idea that the board wished to dispense with their services. In reply to Mr. W Young, the Minister said he would deal with the whole question of what duties were to be allocated to commit--lees and he would communicate with the Mayor of Otahuliu on his return to Wellington. He expressed the hope that the Otahuhu committee would see its way to continue to render assistance. Mr. Nicholson said the committee would be pleased to assist provided it was given some clearly defined work to do.