RELIEF FOR UNEMPLOYED

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 62, 26 May 1928, Page 5

RELIEF FOR UNEMPLOYED

PREMIER DEFENDS GOVERNMENT.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. Press Association —Copyright WELLINGTON, This Day. Hon. J. G. Coates, replying to criticisms levelled at th e Government re unemployment, said that one 'would imagine the Governemnt was doing nothing. He gives a categorical list of the Government's measures last flnaucial year. Six thousand two hundred men were sent to relief works, of whom over 3000 left of their own accord. The Act empowering local bodies to raise loans for the relief of unemployed had been extended for. another year, and £113,000 had been approved in subsidies. The Government's total expenditure on relief works last year was £472,671 in seven weeks.

Since April 1 this year, 1200 men were sent to Government relief works at the moment, and arrangeaccord. There are 2750 men on relief works at the moment, and arranements are being made to place 1000 more.

Some 11,000 men are now employed by the Public Works Department, as against the normal number of 6000 to 8000. Local bodies will still be subsidised as before, and variation of the subsidy is being considered in addition to information being obtained' to enable a scheme to be launched to prevent men getting out Of employment by absorbing them in local industries.