PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 2 September 1931, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

THE HOUSE, '; PROPOSED UNEMPLOYMENT. * : CAMP. (By Telegraph — Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 1. In the House ofßepresentatives last evening, Imprest Supply -Bill No. 3 was piit through alj stages and passed. Questioned' during the debate as to the. details of the proposed camps for unemployed single v men, Hon. Smith said there were many single men . who had no work and no homes. They would lie employed makinghighway: roads, ( not on this or next year’s , programme, but actually oil programmes. It had, been arranged' with the Highways Board; to accelerate the work in backblocks. The men would not be placed in large camps as seemed to be imagined, but in camps for which one cook, or possibly two, would be sufficient to provide conveniently for their needs. Under the scheme the type of men would be better off than at present. Each man would have good food, good shelter and payment for the effort he ynade. t Mr Langstone.—How much ?. Hon. Smith said he could not at present soy how. much i but he "could assure the House'that the very best was being done with the limited amount of money available. There would be .ho military, camp* and no man would bo forced to go into them, but it could ‘not bo : expected that « man who refused to enter camps and; whp could npt-give a reasonable excuse for not doing so, would .be given a chance to take up;work in a city in preference- to the mdn who was uh- 'i able to join the camp, . goading work would be followed by a programme of land development. One b'oek in Auckland district had (already been selected and others were being,submitted for approval. Opportunity would be given thousands of men eventually to take up work of this kind. In the meantime one thousand men would be employed in the direction he had indicated, the Highways Board , having agreed to contribute towards - accelerating the work. - ' i , ■ ~.C • ! fprther points raised . ; Hpu Smith said the .Board,'had given ’>' serious considerafSon 'to the problems , in the: direction of ; providing .work for young people/leaving school. One scheme had been; finalised afid' approv-. ed; whereby boys would be placed oil . farms for training , arid the ..' Board ./:' would grant them- some form of bv’/ sarv, which would amount to a. certain amount of payment. Farmers had agreed to. train them.’’ y; Mr Smith said he hoped by tomorrow it would be possible to make a * complete 'statement giving details of the localities- where camps would be provided,-the rates lof .pay to he grant- ’ ed-and the conditions under which the men would work.// \ "a L. He. would.' also announce details of tlto scheme; for boys leaving school. ,