LABOUR DEPARTMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22963, 19 August 1936, Page 9

LABOUR DEPARTMENT

HEAVY INCREASE IN VOTE EXPLANATION BY MINISTER (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 18. An explanation of the reason for the heavy increase in the sum Parliament is asked to vole this year for the administration of the Labour Department was given by the Minister of Labour, Mr H. T. Armstrong, in the House of Representatives to-night during the discussion on the Estimates. The sum of £238,06(5 is sought this year as against £45,838 last year. Mr Armstrong, replying to Opposition criticism, said that the recent industrial legislation had added considerably to the activities of the Labour Department, necessitating increased expenditure in the administration work entailed bv the alteration in the labour laws. The Fair Rents Bill and the legislation laying down the rates of wages and the terms of employment on farms had increased the responsibilities of the department enormously In addition the cost of administering unemployment relief and employment promotion had now been transferred to the Labour Department. Replying to Mr W. J. Broadloot (Opposition. Waitomo). who had asked if there had been any worth-while finds of gold by men prospecting under the employment promotion scheme. Mr Armstrong said that there had been a number of good finds. Scores of men who had been assisted by the Government under its unemployment scheme were now successfully working claims and were no longer a charge on the Stale.