N.Z. UNEMPLOYMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 265, 2 July 1932, Page 5

N.Z. UNEMPLOYMENT

(Press. Assn.—:

w'spirit of sacrifice in country, happy augury." A SUVA INTERVIEW

By Telegraoh-f-CopyrlgXit).

SUVA, Friday. The Right Hon. J. G. Coates, who was interviewed here on arrival of the Aorangi, said that the unemployed, nqmbering 54,000 male adults, .realise that the Government is doing it£ utmost ox) their behalf to the ab■solute limit of the funds available. Although a few agitators, xxxostly not native-born, have been coxxstantly seeking to stir up trouble, the great majority of the unemployed have .taken the sane view that the Govjernment is not to be blamed for the ,distress. , Mr. Coates stated that when it was first suggested that single unemployed men should work for 10s a week, plus rations, the proposals were greeted with derision. Latterly the men concerned realised the facts, and the day he left Auckland 150 young men entered the working camp on these terms. Already many other camps have been working satisfactorily. This wqs a particularly encouraging feature, indicating that the men are showixxg the right spirit. In fact, the relief workers are shovelling an equal yardage of xxxaterial on roadmaking and draining works to the ordinary conditions. Five thousand men, under the supervision of experienced miners, were engaged in alluvial quartz gold-mining in Central Otago, the We-st Coast and Thames 2Q00 of whoxn are subsidised by the Govexmxxxent. Promising Finds of Gold Mr.- Coates stated that there have been exceptionally proxnising reports of finds of gold in the Reefton district. The Government is financing many of these platoons of eager miners a large proportion of whorn are already self-supporting, having paid the Governxixexxt's relief at the rate of 10 per cent. of their gold returns. Many men have been assisted to settle on 10-acre farming sections, joining blocks of 50 to 60 acres, and with the option of pxxrchasiixg adare already doing well. Unemployed women are not directly under Goverment supervision, bxxt private organisations, with Gove-rxi-ment assistance, are helping the woxnen to find suitable work. The former Wages and working conditions have necessarily been modified until the Dominion returns to normal, but everywhere there is a spirit of willingness to share the sacrifices. This single-mindedness throughout the country is the happiest augury for rehabilitation, which hope the Ottawa Conference would facilitate with important trade measures. It is earnestly hoped that the day is not far distant when Government relief will no longer be necessary.