BACK TO OFFICE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1932, Page 3

BACK TO OFFICE

MR COATES’ PORTFOLIOS

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF PROBLEM. W.KLUINGI;6n,' September' 23.

Although he wifi not immediately reassume the portfolios-~o£'•• E'mpldympntj Transport and Public , Work's, owing >to ..the pressure -r -work arising out of the Ottawa Conference, tbb/Rt. - Hon., J,. G., Coates said he intended to take then) •ffv»r in tLo smote. ‘ future. He stated, .-eipphatically that ,he would mot give.: up Employment. . / , . ,1. “It is certainly my - interition to,,:gb ■on’ With, the job,” - Mr Coates said. am more than- ever - renvinced that -We. lean .grapple with what appeared to be i',baffling, problem, not in our own Dominion only, but everywhere. . The agreement signed atj.Ottawa. has a close bearing .on the -solution which -we, must seek: iit helps to -assure a. market for oKI- If,arm .products. In : Canada I was algo able to -get. some interesting side-' lights on -theu* approach to difficulties which are much ’’ke our own in New Zealand, and this information M T i'l be. (lielpful in considering- -our own >problams in 'New Zealand.”. ' '■ "While,' however, his . interest in the pi’bhleni of unemployment abated, and he was determined to &&. that' opportunities of lemployinent ■Were opened up Mr Coates isaid. he recognised that his immediate responsibility, arising out of the Ottawa. Conference, was to place . before,; Porjia-' metri full information bearing 1 upon -,’t‘oe agreement which he there signed orir'beha'f of New Zealand. Thiis agreement, df course, required,. cratifioation /by, Parliament, and . its consideration would be one of the most important and - the Earliest of the matters to 'b e -dealt with 'in the session which opened 'on Thursday. Legislation ; would a'socbe required, to implement the agreement, inits bearing of the Customs tariff. ; “Shortly 'before my return toNew Zealand,” said Mr. Coates, “I cab'ed

to the Prime Minister suggesting -that he discuss with M‘r,tHamilton and Air Macmillan the possibility , of ’their carrying on with my portfolios for : P Lew weeks, until some of th e .mattens arising ■ ont of the Ottawa Conference could be ••cleared out of,the way. Tbm they have. -a.er.eed to do. and I shii-’d gladlv and with full confidence leave the direct charge of the portfolios with (hem for the v sir- 1 ’!. of. course,, be in touch with them on such matters as may. call for attention wh’le still occupied mainly with bnsines 7 arising out of Ottawa.”