UNEMPLOYMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10852, 18 March 1921, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

THE WINTER OUTLOOK SERVICES OF RAILWAY WORKERS DISPENSED WITH. PREMIER ON POSITION. The question of the possibility of unemployment was raised in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) asked if the Prime Minister had seen a Press statement to the effect that unemployment was becoming serious, and that a number of young men had applied unsuccessfully for work. Would tho Prime Minister cause inquiries to be made as to the actual extent of unemployment throughout the Dominion, and take what steps might seem necessary? Also,_ did the Government, in view of this, intend to discontinue its immigration policy P Would the Government provide work for those "willing to work, or, in the alternative, provide sustenance for them and their families? The Prime Minister replied that the Government understood the position. We had got to the end of the harvest, and were getting to the end of the shearing season, and there would be men out of work. The difficulty was that, owing to the drop in agricultural products, farmers would not he able to employ as many men as they had employed in past yearn. There was no doubt about that. We could not very well continue the rate of publio works Unless we were able to raise a loan in London. However, the Government was making provision for the possibility of unemployment during the coming winter, but it would not be wise to state what was intended. He would advise every man who had a job to stick to it. It would be a good thing for him and for the country. DISPENSED WITH. STRATFORD RAILWAY WORKERS. PREMIER TO MAKE STATEMENT. Mr R. Masters (Stratford) stated, in the House of Representatives yesterday morning, that a correspondent, had informed him that he had it from an authoritative source that instructions had been received from the Publio Works Department to dispense with all employees on the Stratford railway works when the work now in hand was completed, and that no further employees were to he taken on. Was that instruction general, or did it only apply to these particular works? Was the rumour true that public works were to be stopped on account of the shortage of money ? The lion. J. G. Coates replied that the instruction wae not genefral, it applied only to that particular work. The policy had been hud down in- last session’s Public Works Statement that as soon as the Stratford railway reached Tahura, the work should be stopped. Certain ballasting work reanained to be done, and that would employ some fifteen men for some time longer. Mr H. Atmore (Nelson) asked if the threatened shortening would apply to other lines in the course of construction. The Prime Minister said be would make a statement later. ’