MINISTER'S ASSURANCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 40, 9 October 1931, Page 3

MINISTER'S ASSURANCE

("Post" Special Commissioner).

work promised men on railway jobs to be transferred elsewhere NO GROUND FOR ANXIETY

WELLINGTON, Thursday. An assurance that arrangements would be made shortly for the transfer to other works of the majority of the 1570 men who will be displaced by the stoppage of railway construction activities was given by the Minister of Public Works, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, in the House of Representatives last night. Mr. Coates sdid that since his assumption of office he had made a quiclc examination of the possibilities of work being found for these men elsewhere and he had found that there were occupations to which the men could b'e transferred. At the moment he was not in a position to make definite recommendation to Cabinet, but he hoped to. be able to do so within the course of a few days. "Placing them under the No. 5 scheme?" queried Mr. R. Semple (Labour. Wellinsrton East).

"That is ineorrect," retorted Mr. Coates. . I sincerely hope that in this matter there will be as little inconvenience and delay as possible. In the course of the next few days I expect to be able to make a statement that will give an assurance to a majority of the men, th© married men at any rate, that they are not to remain in a state of anxiety, as to whether they will be thrown into the street or otherwise. I . can assure them that the best possible will be done." The leader of the Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland) : "Will the work to which the men are to be transferred be of an economic and reproductive character?" The Minister: "I don't say it will be immediately reproductive, but I hope it will be in the near future." Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Independent, Grey Lynn) : "Where will you get the money to finance the works?" The question was not answered.