Thousands May Go On Dole In N.S.W.

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31002, 7 March 1966, Page 15

Thousands May Go On Dole In N.S.W.

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) DUBBO, March 6. Plans to put thousands of men on relief work are being drawn up in country towns throughout drought-stricken areas of New South Wales.

The State Government hasi moved quickly to cope withl massive unemployment that 1 seems imminent unless good rains fall over most of the; State within 30 days. Already the number of unemployed in towns from Cowra and Forbes in the south through to Bourke and Moree in the north and northwest is increasing sharply. If no rain falls this month these numbers will grow alarmingly as farms virtually shut down. The Department of Local : Government, alerted to this: situation a few weeks ago, is now putting a ’relief” plan into operation . Departmental inspectors are touring the west to offer! local councils and shires! money to back council-opera- - ted relief work schemes. The Local Government De-,

[partment already ha s distri- • buted 660,000 dollars for re- ’ lief schemes. 1 Baptist Churches in New : i South Wales have been asked to observe tomorrow as a day ■ of repentance and prayer for rain. The president of the Baptist Union of New South Wales, the Rev. G. S. Parish, said yesterday he recently returned from an extensive tour of country areas and had firsthand experience of drought conditions. Mr Parish said: “We are calling our people to repent and pray for rain because we believe drought is often the judgment of God. as it was |in Old Testament days.” j In the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Sydney, prayers for rain will continue to be said until the drought' 1 breaks.