Work to Start on Museum Approaches

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 143, 7 September 1927, Page 9

Work to Start on Museum Approaches

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY APPROVED Vl/’ORK in connection with laying * ’ out the approaches to the War Memorial Museum will commence within the next few days. This will provide work for a number of unemployed in Auckland. The sum of £3,800 was raised, and, with the Government subsidy recently authorised, the work can now proceed. Arrangements have been made by the War Memorial Committee to find the balance between the subsidy and the estimate of £7.600. The work will be under the control of Mr. W. E. Bush, city engineer, who states that a start will be made by Monday at the latest. The work is regarded as purely an unemployment relief undertaking, and the City Council have, therefore, decided that the rate of wages shall be 12s a day for married men and 9s a day for single men. It was made clear by the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, that the work was devised solely with the object of providing an opportunity to tide over the present unfavourable situation. Those men, employed would not expect to be engaged longer than the time necessary for them to obtain work at the full ruling rates. MEN ANXIOUS TO BEGIN SUBSIDISING WAGES (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, To-day. There is now nothing to prevent an immediate beginning with the work on the Auckland War Museum, as the Government subsidy of £3,800 has now been approved. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland, has received a telegram from Mr. C. Lindsay, secretary of the Auckland Unemployment Association, as*king what was the prospect of expediting permission for the Auckland City Council to start on the war museum site at relief rates of pay. His association was subsidising wages to full trade-union rates. Three hundred men were anxious to start work and the money was available. Mr. M. J. Savage said last evening that the telegram had been referred to the Minister of Public Works, who replied that the Government subsidy of £ 3,800 had now been approved and the department had advised the Auckland office to that effect to-day.