SUBSIDISING THE FLAXMILLING INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4515, 9 October 1930, Page 3

SUBSIDISING THE FLAXMILLING INDUSTRY.

DEPUTATION TO PARLIAMENT. Yesterday members of the deputation arranged to wait on the Acting Prime Minister, Minister for Labour 'and Minister for Industries and Commerce left for Wellington. The deputation comprises Messjrs M. E. Perreau (Mayor), -T. IC. Hornblow (P.N. Hospital Board).' P. T. Robinson (secretary Mana.wa.tu Flaxrworkors’ Union), F. Smith and F. Shaw (representing local flaxworkers) and O. F. Smith (local business people) and Ensign 'Smith and Captain Neary, of the local Salvation Army 'Ctorp. Mr. .J. Linkla ter, ALP., who will introduce the deputation, has arranged the conference with the Acting Prime Minister and various other Ministers for this afternoon. The object of the deputation is to ui’ge upon the Government the necessity for making available the subsidy to the flaxmilling industry immediately so that the mills may lie able to re-open at once and thereby relieve a very acute unemployment position in Foxton and district.

UNEMPLOYED COMMITTEE

MEETING.

POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER RELIEF.

A meeting' of the local unemployed' committee was held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday evening, presided over by the Mayor (Mr. M. E. Perreau). Also present were Messrs D. Ball, John Ross, W( Neville and the secretary (Mr. W. Trueman). Mr. Trueman reported that receipts to date from all sources totalled £292 4/8, including the Government, subsidy of £lO5 14/9. Expenditure totalled £290 11/8 by means of which they had provided 560 half days work. There remained a- balance in hand of only £1 13/- but he thought that there was a possibility of obtaining a further £75 subsidy from the Government and he had convened the meeting to consider that question. Mr. Trueman said that when the committee had first approached the Government fog an unemployment subsidy it had asked for a subsidy on a. sum up to £3OO which had been approved and a sum of £l5O granted. Of the £3OO specified, ■however, £9O had been earmarked for laying down a cycle track in Easton Park, the Cycling Club having offered £34 and .guaranteeing another £ll towards the wo'nk, which, carrying the Government subsidy, made up £9O. When the £45 had been deducted from the £l5O subsidy it had left £lO5 actual subsidy available for committee works. Nothing definite had come of the cycle track proposal and when the eommitetee’s funds dwindled Mr. Trueman said he had .written asking- the Government if it would gtrant another £75 increasing the subsidy to £225 if the cycle track is gone on with, otherwise the amount of £45 could be cancelled. The £75 on which the committee was now asking subsidy had actually been spent on tree planting work on the Target Reserve. If the subsidy was granted, /and he thought it would be, the committee would, have another £75 to spend and it would he necessary for a schedule of works to be drawn up with this purpose in view. There was some discussion as to what wopk should be uudertakeu and the secretary suggested that in order to give the maximum benefit to local unemployed the formation of a footpath from Futter St. east in the direction of the Cemetery be undertaken. The work would possibly never be completed but it would afford employment for a number of men with no outlay for material, etc. The Mayor said that it was a great pity that the Moutoa Drainage Board or Manawatu County Council had not been able to handle the relief money raised locally and spent in on some work which would be of permanent benefit to the community. A lot of the relief work undertaken was really of little benefit to the town. After some further discussion it was decided to form the roadway in Whittaker Street and a footpath on the north side of Tlhynne Street, the balance of 'the money to be expended on the Avenue Road footpath as suggested by the secretary. ,