FINDING MEN WORK.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 366, 7 March 1932, Page 8

FINDING MEN WORK.

Completion of Lewis Pass Road Urged. Another motion urging the desirability of completing the Lewis Pass Road by unemployed labour was passed by the Citizens’ Unemployment Relief Committee to-day. Mr W. E. Leadley said that other organisations were pressing for completion of the work, which was very suitable as a means of unemployment relief. Mr G. Maginness stated that a very recent' letter from a farmer who was for seven years in the locality stated that it cost him £l7 10s to send thirty pigs to the Addington market. With the completion of the road the cost would be lowered. and trade with Christchurch would be increased. It was proposed to place the public works on a relief basis, and in that event the Lewis Pass Road should receive special consideration. The Government should cease putting off so many men, declared Mr W. W. Scarff. Matters were becoming so bad that people could not get the necessaries of life. The Government by its action was placing the unemployment problem on the shoulders of local committees. Irrigation Schemes. There were present at the meeting: Messrs E. H. Andrews (chairman), W. E. Leadley, R. J. Ecroyd, J. S. Barnett, F. W. J. Belton, R. T. Bailey. George Harper, G. Lawn, A. Manhire, G. Maginness. W. W. Scarff, J. W. Crampton W. J. Walter, the Rev F. T. Read, Mrs A. I. Fraer, and Mr J. F. Eames (honorary secretary). The Main Highways Board wrote stating that the committee's suggestion that the permanent paving of the Main South Road from Rolleston to Rakaia, under the No. 5 scheme, would receive consideration.

In reply to the committee’s motion, that unemployed should be placed on irrigation work in Canterbury, Mr P. R. Climie, a member of the Unemployment Board, wrote stating that every encouragement was being given to Canterbury local bodies to put irrigation schemes into operation. Many had made extensions to systems. The Waimak-ariri-Ashley Water Supply Board had already increased the supply in the Oxford-Eyreton districts, and trials were being supervised on farms in the locality. The Ashburton County Council had constructed a new race to supply water to the Ashton Settlement, Seaneld, where an irrigation trial was being made under the supervision of the Lincoln College authorities The Unemployment Board was doing everything possible to stimulate employment along the lines indicated. re P°rted that supplies at the relief depot had inr-reased somewhat. Prams were still wanted.