THE UNEMPLOYED

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1927, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED

GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDI

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 14

A deputation of between 10 and 50 unemployed waited on Air Coates today, the Ministers of Finance and l.abour being also present. The deputation was introduced by Air P. Fraser, AL.P.. and was supported by Air R. Alt-Keen, AI.P., and the officials of the Alliance of Labour and of the District Council of the Alliance. Air Coates intimated that there would be no increases in the relief rates of pay already iixetl.

Air E. Cornwall, of the Uncmplo.vmeiit Committee, said that- there were 500 men registered at the A\ ellingtnn Bureau, and there must altogether tie fully 1000 men unemployed, as there were many who refused to register. The City Council was doing a lot towards meeting 1 tie difficulty, but it seemed to him that the Government was not tloing all that it might. There must be about 12.000 unemployed in New Zealand.

Air James Roberts, tlie General Pecrotary of the Alliance of Labour, said that the Government should do something definite. He urged the Government to reconsider the matter of wages. Air Roberts suggested a tax of onehalf per <ent. on the income of tlie people earning over £'loo and up to £OOO per year; a tax of 1 per cent on the incomes from £OOO to £7OO ; a fax of 2 per cent on those from C7OO to £IOOO and over. This tax would provide sufficient money to enable every unemployed person to find a job, and to do profitable work for the country.

Hon. Air Anderson said flint since the deputation of tlie 1 Itb ol June last 251 men had been found work in AVellington by the Government. There had been 555 men sent fo relief works, hut 00 had failed to report, and 515 had left of their own accord. ’I he Government was going a great deal to meet the position, and the question of the Forestry Department employing more men was being discussed.

Mr Coates said that he wanted to refute nnv suggestion that the various State Departments were not doing their best to meet the present difficulty. Just recently he lmd been asked to authorise the dismissal ol about 250 to 500 men front the Railway Department, hut he had absolutely refused to do anything of the kind. Those men would he carried, possibly for some mouths, because he realised it was the duty of the Government to do nothing that would accentuate the present difficulty. There had been no wholesale sacking of men in the Post and Telegraph Department for instance. They were carrying -110 men more than were absolutely necessary. The Government had given further assistance to Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards in order that they might meet the present difficult position. This was being done in order to meet the position of men wliti were unable to do a full day’s work.