UNEMPLOYMENT.

Waipa Post, Volume XX, Issue 1179, 8 December 1921, Page 7

UNEMPLOYMENT.

DISTRESSING CASES. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ASKED FOR.

"A man came to see me to-day and told me that his child had gone to I school in the morning without food, I because there was nothing in the house,” said Mr G. Mitchell (Wellington South) on Friday afternoon. Mr Mitchell wished to know whether the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour would confer regarding the unemployment problem, and make a statement to the House next week. There were very many unemployed in the Country, and some were suffering severely. There was no work to be had through the Labour Bureau. He did not suppose that the bureau in Wellington had found employment for half a dozen men in the last fortnight. Women with children in arms came to him and told him very distressing stories of hardship. A returned soldier who had bean out of work eight weeks and had a wife and one child to support had said that he was not afraid of work and [ wou’d do anything ; b’K that if he filled to obtain an honest living hs would l ave to turn '.imiher way. Many of the unemployed could not perform very arduous work, and he realised that the problem was going to be a difficult one. The Minister of Labour invited Mr Mitchell to give him the names of the persons mentioned. He would investigate their cases. He was sure that if these persons were sent along to the Public Works Minister they would be given employment, if it was at all possible, on relief works.

Mr Mitchell : There are several hundreds of them. Mr Anderson replied that his returns showed a remarkable fallingoff during the past week. He was not arguing the question, but merely speaking from the official figures. During the next few months there would be plenty of work if the people would go into the country for if. Mr Mitchell should hand the names to the Minister of Public Works.