RUGBY UNION SUBSIDY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1931, Page 9

RUGBY UNION SUBSIDY

“ASTONISHED AT CRITICISM.”

MINISTER OF LABOUR’S VUv>.

> He had been astonished to find criticism levelled at the Unemployment Board for giving a subsidy for earth work at Western Park, said the Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Labour, at a meeting of the North Taranaki Unemployment Relief Committee in. New Plymouth yesterday. His only concern had been to nnu work for the unemployed in his own district. He had been told that the chairman of the New Plymouth Borough Council Works Committee, Mr, J. Brown, had said, there were no works in the borough to absorb a, large number of men. He had heard that the Taianaki Rugby Union had a large sum to spend on earth works and was going to use machinery. It had been an opportunity for many unemployed to earn money which otherwise they would hot have had. His sole intention had been to help his district as far as he could. He (juotod figures to show the large proportion of money spent in the New Plymouth district by,the board to relieve unemployment. Under the No. 2 scheme, for instance, he said, Auckland had been granted £2850, Christchurch £2400, Dunedin £l4OO, Invercargill £lOl3, Palmerston North £760 and New Plymouth £1778.

Surely he was not to be upbraided for doing his best to find the men work, I twas ratlir disconcerting after, .fighting to obtain the money to find himself met with criticism. Tho objection raised, said Mr. S. Flood, was that the money might have been spent more advantageously in the parks about New Plymouth. The chairman of the Rugby Union had said the work could have been done for half the money by machinery and people had. felt the subsidy might consequently have been spent more judiciously. ■ His committee, said Mr. P. E. Stainton (chairman), felt that the board was making a very great effort to find a solution to the problem of unemployment and would like to congratulate the board on the enthusiasm and energy it had shown.