UNEMPLOYMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17412, 26 May 1928, Page 7

UNEMPLOYMENT.

GOVERNMENT RELIEF.

MR COATES IN DEFENCE. NEARLY £500,000 SPENT. (By Telegraph --Pres? Association.; WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Prime Minister, Mr Coates, in a statement referring to criticisms levelled at the Government in regard to unemployment, says: "The public mi'ght he led to believe that the speakers alone were concerned with the present unemployment situation, and that the Government were doing nothing whatever to cope with it. They fail to appreciate what lias been done. The following information will reveal what the Government have done to afford relief to those who have been unable to obtain employment elsewhere.

r ' (1) During the last financial year approximately G2OO men were sent to Government relief works throughout the Dominion, and over 3000 men left these works of their own accord.

" (2) The Local Bodies Empowering Act, under which local bodies could raise loans for relief of unemployment, was extended for another year last session, and in addition legislative authority for the payment of subsidies to local bodies for works undertaken for the relief of unemployment was given by Parliament. The total payments were limited by the Imprest Supply Act (No. 1) to £150,000. Subsidies totalling £113,000 were approved during the year, and payments actually made to March 31 last amounted to £75,100. Government Spends £472,671. " (3) The total expenditure by the Government on relief works last year, including the £75,100 paid in subsidies to local bodies, was £4' ( 72,671. " (4) During the period of seven weeks from April 1 of this year up to May 19 1200 men have been sent to Government relief works, which are being undertaken by the Public Works and Forestry Departments. Of this number 400 men left the works of their own accord. " (5) There are 2759 men on Government works at the present lime, and arrangements arc in train for placing approximately 1000 additional men as soon as camps can be erected and works laid out, probably within a fortnight's time. " (G) Approximately 11,000 men arc being employed by Lhe Public Works Department. "In addition to this Ave have to remember that the Public Works programme, has been pressed on at high speed—at a pace faster than would have been ' normally required—and that about 10.0UO men are being absorbed, whereas under ordinary circumstances the I'iUinbcr employed would be between 0000 and *OUO. Subsidy to be Renewed.

"With regard to the question of subsidy to local bodies for unemployment works, Cabinet has decided to re-enact the provisions to subsidise local authorities' unemployment loans, and this fact was definitely announced by my colleage Mr Wright, when he received a deputation concerning unemployment recently. I

have been in communication with the Mayor of Wellington regarding the variation of the subsidy paid to local bodies, but no decision has been arrived at yet. In the meantime, however, the same provisions which applied up to March 31 last are being continued, and a public statement to this effect has already been made." "Also to be taken into account," added Mr Coates, "is the recent decision of the Government to undertake a statistical review in order to ascertain the ages, responsibilities and qualifications of men with a view to launching a scheme designed ■ to prevent men getting out of employment, and, where they are unemployed, to absorb them into our various industries."