PROMPT DENIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26771, 14 May 1948, Page 7

PROMPT DENIAL

EXCESSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT IN CANADA Rec. 9 p.m. VANCOUVER, May 13. National Employment Service officials here to-day described the statement made in Auckland by a 'Canadian carpenter, Mr Tom Bilton, that there were over 20,000 unemployed in- Vancouver alone as “ a complete misstatement of fact.” A spokesman for the employment service said: “We have never had that number of unemployed. We are placing 2000 in jobs weekly ” In Ottawa, a Labour Department official described the Assertions by Mr Bilton and others that there was widespread unemployment and deteriorating economic conditions in Canadian cities as “ Communist talk.” The official added: “ There are no bread lines in Toronto that I know of, and as for general employment we can place 1000 workers on Ontario farms right now.” The official said that Canada was rushing displaced persons from Europe for the very reason that a heavy demand for labour existed, especially” in agriculture.

Mr William Horrobin, regional employment officer in Vancouver, said there were in the neighbourhood of 15,000 without jobs in Vancouver at present, but the riumber was steadily decreasirig.

An Auckland message published yesterday, stated:—Tradesmen arriving from Canada in the Wairata spoke of the widespread unemployment and deteriorating economic conditions in Canadian cities. “There are between 20,000 and 30,000 unemployed in Vancouver alone,” said Mr T. Bilton, a carpenter. Mr Joseph Wilson, a carpenter, who left Somerset with his wife six months ago, said there was little building during the winter, and thousands of casual workers flocked to the cities. There was no State housing and no social security or pensions.