TOWN WITHOUT WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20150, 19 May 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

TOWN WITHOUT WORK

ANXIOUS PEOPLE IN CRETA The Greta (Australia) Municipal Council is alarmed at the state of affairs existing in the town. All the collieries are closed down, and a crisis has been reached in the town’s welfare. There is no employment of any description in the district; and much anxiety is felt. Tuc adult population of Greta exceeds 2000, and unless something is done the town will be wholly supported by the Government. The Mayor (Aid. Proudfoot) described the position aa “desperate.” Aid. Proudfoot, with the deputy mayor ,Ald. Crockett 4 and officials of the Whitburn Miners’ Lodge, waited on Air W. F. O’Hearn, ML.A., to discuss the. position. It was decided to arrange a conference with the Acting-Premier with a view to local works noing started. It was also decided to wait on the Main Roads Board in an endeavour to induce it to make a grant to the local councils to enable them to start read works to relieve the distress. At the municipal council meeting reference was made to “the deplorable conditions” in the town, and the aldermen decided to do all they could to move the Government to action. The dole is certainly acceptable, but work is wanted. Instances were quoted where many men, out of work for the first time in their lives, wqre too proud to collect the dole, and preferred to go in absolute need. Those who had been thrifty and saved were now seeing their 44 nest e gg s ” f° r f° au d clothing. It is stated that unless something is done immediately the town will be completely crippled, and it was formerly one of the most prosperous on the Maitland coalfields.