GOVERNMENT TRY TO GIVE RELIEF.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19013, 7 March 1930, Page 1

GOVERNMENT TRY TO GIVE RELIEF.

MINISTER REPLIES TO LABOUR DEPUTATION. (Special to the ‘'Star.”) WELLINGTON, March 7. Charging the Government with pursuing a policy of patchwork and hopeless thrift in regard to the unemployment problem, a deputation representing the Labour movement in Wellington waited on the Ministers of Lands and Labour yesterday to demand that immediate steps be taken to deal with the situation as it exists in Wellington. Mr R. Semple said that the deputation wanted the Government to make good its election promises and tackle the problem with courage, fortitude and vision. The Hon G. W. Forbes, in the course of his reply, mentioned that some 1509 men had been sent to Government works from Wellington since the pres-, ent Government assumed office, including 291 placed since Christmas. Last week letters were sent to 107 married men in Wellington stating that the Government had work available on the West Coast and requesting them to call at the bureau by noon on Tuesday last if they were prepared to accept it. Replies were received from 33 men, but only 20 of them were willing to accept the work. Previously offers of work were made to 27 married men in the Hutt Valley, but only six accepted. The Labour Department’s return for the week ended last Monday showed that registrations had fallen by 77 to 447, including 57 men in the Hutt Valley. These comprised 347 fit for heavy work and 43 for light work. The men fit for heavy work consisted of 174 with dependents and 173 without dependents. There were 1324 men employed on public works in the Wellington district at present. He thought that they must admit that the Governmen had been endeavouring to meet the position and relieve urgent cases. It was impossible to find work for every man out of work. Out of 107 men who were asked if they would go to the Coast for work—and that was the only work available at the time — the small percentage of 20 was willing to accept.

In reply to Mr W. Nash, the Minister said that the 107 had renewed their registration within a fortnight of the letter being sent out. The Government considered that all local bodies and private employers should do their part in helping. There was a larger number of men on public works than ever had been the case before at this time of the year. They had no prospect at present of placing any large number of men in the Wellington province. •There ■were no works that rrmW be started. It had not been anticipated that they would be faced with the position such as the present during the summer months. He was well advised of the position and would do all possible to alleviate it. Air Veitch, in the course of his reply, said that the weekly average of men employed on public works for the fast financial year was 12,487, and for the present financial year was 14,089, an increase of 1602. The State Forestry Department was also employing many hundreds of men. During the ten months of the present financial year £SO,S3I had been passed over to local bodies, compared with £68.567 for the previous twelve months. The total expenditure by the present Government for ten months had been £1,012,852, compared with £802,710 for the previous twelve months. These figures showed that an earnest attempt had been made by the Government to meet the situation.