LOCAL BODY WORKS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 119, 5 June 1937, Page 5

LOCAL BODY WORKS

Programme to he Formulated For Minister ANOTHER CONFERENCE A desire to co-operate in the cartying out Of Work with a view to relicving tmemployment, was expressed by reprcsentatives of local bodies who met the acting-Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in Napier to-day. Steps are to be taken by the various local bodies to formulate a programme of works that will be snbmitted to a further meeting with the Minister, or his representative, to be keld in Napier on June 24. A general discussion took plaee at whieh representatives from the following local bodies were present: Hawke 's Bay County Council, Hastings Borough Oouncil, Napier Borough Council, Waipukurau Borough Council, HaWke 's Bay liivers Board, Napier Harbour Board, Patangata County Council, Taradale and Havelock North Town Boards. The meeting unanimously passed a resolution put forward by the Mayor oi Hastings, Mr Gr. A, Maddison, that the representatives of local bodies, in their desire to cd-operate with the Minister in satisfactorily measuring np the employment question, ask their respective local bodies to prepare a programme oi work and to reassemble for the pUrposg of discussing the means they consider the Government should adopt in the exectttion of the programme, That the meeting also consider the manner in which the Government should be approached for assistance. " We have certainly done onr part," said Mr F. B. Logan, chairman of the Hawke 's Bay County Council. "Out council has been the largest empioyer of .teiief labour, and during the helght of the sltttnp we employed 450 men. We had a good credit balance once, but out llnances have become depleted because oi our large employment of labour, The ratepayers are faced with a rise in ratcs, and many of them have expressed their strong objection to any increase being made in this directioa. With costs going up and np they are alfeady faced with large burdens, ' ' We are alarmed at the figure shown in the Unemployment return, and also at the ultimate destinatiou of the extrfl wages that have to be paid, ' ' added Mr Logan, Mr 0. Lassen, chairman of the Hawke ^ Bay Eivers Board, pointed out that oue of the works in which his board was interested w&s the clearing of the old Ngarutoro rlverbed of a large growth of willows, -which would make available some thousands of cords of lirewood for the unemployed. lu this project the Taradale Town Board was also greatly interested, Minister' g Satisfaction The Minister, who had retired for a short period to receive two deputations while a general discussion took place, returned at this stage and expressed his satisfaction at the sentiment expressed in the motions carried. At this stage he was unable to commit the Government, but gave his assurance that if the local oodies were prepared to do their bit the Government could be relied Upon to do likewise. Even if local bo.dies were unable to do as muck as they tvoald like they wonld be expected to contmbute as much as possible. in this connection they were reminded that from the works eai'iied out they wonld be obtaining assets from which they would beflefit. '* We want assets to be cieated ahd We want men to be at Wofk,,/ added the Minister. Mr H, L. CuHen, M.B., explained that the sUggestion he made earlier that the Government might contribute up to 30 per cent. of labour cOsh was purely his opinion, but he considered that inany of the local bodies would not be able to carry out benefieial work without Hnanciai assistance. The Hon, W. E. Barnard said that he agreed with Mr, Oullen to the extent that in works being put forwafd the Government wouid have to make a handsome contribution if work was to be carried out at all. Contmumg, Mr. Barnard Said that the Hawke's Bay County Council had submitted a programme whieh included five different works and that the Napier Borough Council had also definite proposals to make. Hepresentatives of most of the other local bodies were present seeking inforrnation with a view to discovering the extent of Government assistance that was likely to be made available. Mr. T. M. Geddis, chairman of the Napier Harbour Board, then moved that the representatives of local bodies in the district meet once more 1 at Napier on June 24, to further discuss the matter with the Minister, after they had had a full disqussion with their various parties. The Minister expressed his delight with the conclusion arrived at, stating that he felt confident that the discussion would bear fruit.