RELIEF WORKS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2275, 8 October 1914, Page 3

RELIEF WORKS

• FOR UNEMPLOYED IN CHRISTCHTJECH. A. deputation about alleged unemployment in Christchurch, introduced by' Mr. G. Witty, M.P., waited upon the Minister of .Works yesterday. Mr., J. Reid (secretary of the Federation of Labour) said'there were 300 unemployed in Christ-church. .Mr. Fraser: Will they leave the town? Mr. Reid: I suppose a proportion of. them would. ■ . . ■ ■ Mr. Fraser: That's the trouble; many of them won't. Mr. Fraser went,on.to explain tho steps he had taken in getting the local. bodies to put in ttfnd certain works wliicli ho would subsidise £ for £. He had, however, heard nothing more about-. it from ; the local bodies concerned, except through a letter from the Christchurch Couucil to Mr. Witty. He was now tired of waiting, and had decided to spend £1000 in work for the unemployed on the Christ-church-Lyttelton Road, and £200 on the Dyer'e Pass Road. This, with sub-, Bidies from the local bodies, would mean that there would be £2400 available. He .intended that day to telegraph the engineer to lay out the work. Mr.'M'Combs said that tlmgh the local bodies had not yet communicated with the Minister df. Public Works, the Christchurch City Council had decided to spend £500, the Lyttelton Borough Council' £350, Woolston £50, and the Automobilo Association £200. The onh two that had not applied were Smiier and Waimairi. Mr. Fraser said there. should soon be plenty of work- in tho country, with tho shearing and the harvest, coming on, especially as there would be about 10,000 men out of the country in connection- with the war. In answer 'to Mr. Davey, the Minister said he would not wait any longer to give authority for the expenditure of the £1000. _ Mr. Dnvey said he thought the Minister had taken up a perfectly proper position: He would also spend the money to be handed over by the local bodies. Mr. Mi- Laracy complained about tho charges for tobacco and meat made.by the storekeepers, in connection with the Ashley Gorge .works. Tobacco was 7s. a lb., instead of Ss. or ss. 6d., and meat was 7d. a lb. 1 The Government, he thought, should guard against this extortion. , . Mr. Fraser said he would get a report, on this matter from the.engineer.