HON. A. HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume 115, Issue 19269, 30 May 1934, Page 9

HON. A. HAMILTON.

CAMBRIDGE DEPUTATIONS. POST OFFICE IMPROVEMENTS. UNEMPLOYMENT MATTERS. (Special to Times.) CAMBRIDGE, Monday. The Postmaster-General and Minister of Employment, Hon. Adam Hamk, ilton, arrived in Cambridge' this morn- [ ing from Te Aroha and Martinsville . in continuation of a tour of the Waikato. The Minister was accompanied by Mrs. Hamilton. Other members of f the Ministerial party were: Messrs. F. M. Sherwood, private secretary; W. Bromley, member of Employment Board (Wellington), W. P. Aldridge, Chief Postmaster (Hamilton), and Miss Frost (Minister’s typiste).' The party was met at the Town Hall by Mr. Lye and the Mayor, and was taken to the Post Office. The urgent necessity for more accommodaL tion In the public office and for the l' counter staff was pointed out. L Following the inspection the party r was entertained to morning tea. At. the council chamber, Mr. Lye welcomed the Minister and his party on behalf of the people of Cam- ( bridge. Improvements to Post Offloe. Concerning the improvements to the Post Office, Mr. Lye said that in 1929 the then Postmaster-General visited Cambridge and a definite promise was given that the improvements and additions wduld be placed on the estimates and carried but. Since then the matter had been shelved. Mr. Lye emi phasised that the Post Office was the only government institution showing 1 a good profit. “ Cambridge is a flourishing and growing district and to-day the Post ' Office does not meet the requirements of the district,” he said. Attention was drawn to the present inadequate counter and office accommodation and \ the out-of-date telephone exchange. , Mr. S. L. Yale, president of the Chamber of Commerce, emphasised ; that the present system was unsatisfactory. ! The Mayor, Mr. C. H. Priestley, said ; that 28 years ago they had only 50 • subscribers and to-day the. number i was over 800. lie suggested that if , the' Postmaster had' a private residence, the congestion would be relieved. [ The Minister’s Thanks. ( The Minister thanked'those present I for their hospitality and paid a tri--1 bute to the beauty of Cambridge. He V spoke optimistically of the Post and F Telegraph Department and said it was f Interesting td l know that money ''as coming back into the savings bank, instead of going out. Last year the \ Post Office gave over £300,000 to help I to keep the country going. I Speaking of the Cambridge. Post I Office, the Minister said that . the building was pleasing from ’ the outside. It was in the telephone exchange that matters were serious. The Minister said he felt sure Cambridge was asking for reasonable expenditure only and assured the deputation that the matter would • receive favourable consideration. It was difficult, to fulfil promises made in 1929, he said, but he thought it possible to do what was asked. j| UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS. f DISCUSSION WITH MINISTER. Introducing the deputations associated with unemployment matters, : Mr. Lye assured the Minister of his sympathy with" a very difficult problem. lie understood the No. 11 scheme was to cease and that the men employed by the Rabbit Boards were now asked to stand down for a fortnight. The prospects for work for [• the next two months were serious for i the majority of the unemployed. [ Mr. A. Back said that they had been I working for the Central Waikato Rabbit Board for six months at 38s a week, k Now they were faced with no pay : for three weeks and the whole rabbit scheme would be cut out after this week. Mr. Back suggested that the v board give men who are not on subr sldised work an extra day a week, or, i- as an alternative, three days in the present stand-down weeks. , Thu Minister replied (hat as far as the board was concerned there was no 'stand-down week; The board’s total allocation provided for a cover of the four weeks In each month. It was a question of Increased 1 alloca--1 tion. _ , , Mr. T. Riley supported Mr. Back s remarks. Favourable Reply. The Minister said that the request for an increased allocation would bo met favourably by the board. j. The board had decided on a policy of Inoroased allocations In all dairying districts owng to the ; contlnuod low prlcoo of butterfat. DESTRUCTION OF RABBITS. ! EXTENSION OF SCHEME. t An application was then received from the Waikato Central Rabbit Board, with reference to the No. 11 unemployment scheme, for the destruction of rabbits. Notice had been given Hint this scheme was to cease 1 as from June 2. It was stated that the Rabbit Board’s area consisted Of (10,000 acres and : drastic measures had been taken to reduce the number of rabbits. Ap--1 proximately 80 per cent of the rab- ■ bits had been exterminated and it was proposed to go over the whole district a second time. It was requested j that tiie No. 11 scheme be kept In force in the district for at least another three months. The chairman, Mr. J. W. Peake, : pointed out that the board had insufficient funds to carry out this work, k and as 95 per cent of the board’s ratepayers were dairy farmers it was impossible to increase the rate. If the ‘ remainder of the rabbits were not. ► • (Continued in next column.)