WORK FOR 2,000 MEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 972, 15 May 1930, Page 1

WORK FOR 2,000 MEN

DECISION OF CABINET ANNOUNCED REDUCTION OF UNEMPLOYED Press Association ROTORUA, Today. The unemployment question received further consideration by the Cabinet at its meeting today. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, said the total number o? men registered at the bureaux as fit for heavy work, according to the latest returns, totalled 3,502, less a total of 548 who had either refused or left Government work of their own accord since January last. The net total was therefore 2,954. The Public Works Department had already arranged for the employment of 606 men and with a view to affording further measures of relief the Government had decided to make provision for an additional 1,500 men in various districts of the Dominion, such men to be employed on public works and afforestation. There were also several other schemes under consideration. It would be seen therefore that the total of those who were at present unfortunately out of work would be materially reduced at an early date. "The difficult question of unemployment will continue to receive the closest attention of the Government with the object of providing as much work as possible before the winter comes on,” continued the Prime Minister. “I might also say that one of the private afforestation companies in the Dominion has recently acquired a substantial area of land in the Rotorua district, and it is it 3 intention to employ a large number of men in planting operations as soon as possible.” ACTION WANTED PERMANENT WORK SCHEME MR. JORDAN SAYS “WHEN?” “Parliament should' be called together and the Government should lay its cards on the table and tell members what it intends to do or admit that it cannot deal with the position.” This statement was made by Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P. for Manukau, in commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding the employment of 1,500 men on public works and afforestation. Mr. Jordan said that last session Mr. Ransom had said that the Government intended solving the unemployment problem by providing work of a permanent character. “If temporary relief work (that is not sufficient for a man to keep himself and family) was only to fill in time until the permanent work scheme was launched, when is the scheme to come into operation?” he asked. “If it is not ready now, when will it be ready?” Regarding the ban on the publication of unemployed figures, Mr. Jordan said that the number of registered men was no indication of the total number of unemployed. It did not matter whether the figures were published or not, but if the Government could mislead the people that the men registered were the total number of unemployed, it would be in its interests to publish the figures. “I should most heartily stand in with any party or parties in an effort to deal with the unemployment question,” said Mr. Jordan.