MINISTER REFUTES SUGGESTION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20105, 8 December 1930, Page 7

MINISTER REFUTES SUGGESTION.

PROVISION OF RELIEF WORK. (raass association thumbam.) WELLINGTON, December 7. A statement by the Mayor of Nelson that the Government had apparently handed over the responsibility of dealing with the unemployment question to the Unemployment Board, and that it had paid off all men on relief works, was refuted by the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, in a statement on Saturday. He said the suggestion made was entirely contrary to fact. The Minister explained that the provision of employment for men on Government relief works was still being attended to by himself and other members of the Cabinet Employment Committee. although the committee would be only too pleased to receive suggestions from the Unemployment Board. He also explained that the Cabinet Employment Committee was of the opinion that at this time of the year, when seasonal work is, or should shortly be, available, the period of continuous employment of single men on relief works should be limited to about three months. Dealing specially -with the NelsonMarlborough district, Mr Taverner stated that it had been decided to dispense with the services of about. 100 single men who had been employed on relief works in that district for over four months, and fill the resulting vacancies with other men from Nelson, Marlborough, and Wellington who had been without work for several months, and who were consequently in very straitened circumstances. This action, in addition to distributing Government relief among a larger number of unemployed, would release physically fit men who would be available for farming and agricultural work in the district.