THE UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 539, 21 June 1909, Page 8

THE UNEMPLOYED.

STATEMENT BY THE ACTING-PRIME MINISTER. ' GOVERNMENT'S MOST IMPORTANT '.•'•, yTASK. ..'';" In conversation with a Dominion reporter last: night,. tho Acting-Prime ilsnistor (the Hon. J. Carroll) said ho regarded tho provisxhi of work for the unemployed as a matter calling for immediate attention. He would not say that tho-Government would be able to remove tho dilEculty, but everything within its power would be done. He regarded this as the most important matter to bo grappled with by tho Administration during the present recess. Busbfetting was to be started at once,' and road and railway works pushed ahead as rapidly as possible. On his attention being-drawn to a state-, ment that the Rangitatau Block, where bushfelling by the tmomployed is about to be commenced, would afterwards bo set-aside for settlement by Civil Servants, Mr. Carroll said that tho bushfelling-and the settlement of tho land wore two separate questions, and tho second need not be decided just yet. Officers of tho Lands and Labour Department leave .by this morning's express for Waitotara, to complete arrangements for the sending of : men to thebusbiclling near that township. 7 Given good weather, it ia expected that work will be ready for quite ono hundred men after this day week. Survey parties are already actively at work 'on tho block, getting the areas ready for the men. The sizo of the areas has yet to be determined, also the number of men in each party, but it is oxpoctcd that from fifty to one hundred acres will bo allotted to parties comprising six or eight men. Arrangements win also be Invade by the officials for a suitable depot for storing the ;tools, tents, and cooking utensils, and for the speedy transport of men and material after arrival at Waitotara to tho site of tho bushfelling.