RELIEF FOR UNEMPLOYED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16622, 14 April 1928, Page 4

RELIEF FOR UNEMPLOYED

WORK IN POVERTY BAY MINISTERS .PROMISE That he wou]dge't into touch with the District Public Works engineer with a view to haying instituted immediately further relief works for this district, is a statement to the Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works, when approached'on the subject of unemployment by the Mayor of Gisborne, Mr. t>. W, ' Coleman, who was in, Wellington during the week. ■ • ■ . . : •:

Mr. Coleman returned from Welling'' ton last night, and, in response to an enquiry this morning, he toldporter,that he interviewed tho Minister on Thursday. Mr. Coleinan stated that he impressed upon' 'tho Minister; the need for immediate relief in this district, pointing but the release of a number of men from the Harbor Board's works, and that the freezing works were now reducing their staffs. He also maintained that the figures at the Labor Office'were not a true indication 0f..: the actiial position, as the; men, when they found that no work could be found for them, grew tired of visiting the office periodically for the purpose of enrolling. ■ "The Minister, said Mr. Coleman, Replied that he would get into touch with the District-Public Worka engineer, Mr. -Q. W. Albertson, during the course of a few days, and see what could be done for the immediate institution -of relief works. ; ■ The Minister appeared to be sympathetic, Mr. Coleman stated, and realised that something should, be done, but unforr tunately Poverty Bay was not the only place where similar conditions existed. The Minister was not anxious to have made public the decisions for the opening of relief works on account of the fact that such statements attracted too many outsiders. ,\ Whatever work was the Minister declared, would be for the men of the district concerned. For any work provided in Poverty Bay iaen from the district would be: given preference.

APPLICATIONS AT GISBOKNE The records of the Labor Department at Gisborcie indicate that the position with regard to unemployment has remained steady, there •'having been approximately 60 names on the books during the past five weeks. A very slight reduction is disclosed in the figures made available this morning, when it was announced that 60 men were seeking Employment through the department. There were 62 men at this time last week. Of the number now on the books, 39 are married men. Four were placed in emI'cyment during the week, these having been sent to the relief works tit Mangapoike. There; were 22 new applications this woek, as against 13 last!week.