ECONOMIC CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1931, Page 6

ECONOMIC CONFERENCE

STUDYING THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE. (British Official Wircicss.) RUGBY, April 11-1,,-1,, tl,e House of Commons. Mr •) • H. Thomas. Secretary for the Colonies, mime a statement regarding the arrangements being made for the Imperial Ee-oiioinie- Conference to he held j„ Ottawa ill the- summer, and a number „f Ministers answered questions. All arrangements lor the coiHfemic^ said Mr Thomas, were in the hands dl; the Panndniti Government. It seeime. likdv that all the dominions would he represented although he had not heard SO definitely. Preparations For the confer.', i.-e, so far as the- United Kingdom Goveo-nmem was oeme-e-nmel. were m active progress. THE COAL CONTENTION. Referring to his recent-visit to Her I'm lo collier on the enal silualie.n. Mr E. Sl,i,.well. Minisi.r of Mines, stated that as a result ot this and ntlmr similar informal discussions, the views ol several Governments had keen mutually adjusted to an extent which had considerably increased the prospect of the* early adoption ol an internal ; omil convention on hours oi work i„ eoa Imines. The Governments concerned included Poland, Belgium, France ami (ie-rinatiy. hocking problem. Mr Arthur Greenwood, .Minister of Health, referring to the prohiem or housing, said that here wore 10.000 more house's under construction than a vear ago. lie. spoke' with satisfaction nf (he smoothness with which the transfer of Poor Law functions from Hie Giiarelioiis to ioeail authorities, under the Act id’ 1929. had taken place-, and the substantial progress macro. Th,. schemes were not extravagant but there were certain definite responsibilities towards the destitute which rested on tlm nut lioritii's. AYhatever might he elone by limans of training or assistancewith the object of maintaining tlm individual spirit and sense of iiidepeuelenee. should he done. He hail approached local authorities with a view to securing tlmir co-opera-tion in dealing with the- prohiem of maternal mortality. Tlm present death-rate in childbirth, which made it the inert dangerous occupation in the e-mnury. was higher than tlm existing '-lali- of knowledge of the public could cunt iniii* to tolerate.