GOVERNMENT AID FOR UNEMPLOYED

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 61, 3 June 1927, Page 1

GOVERNMENT AID FOR UNEMPLOYED

STATE subsidy ON VOLUNTARY LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS PUBLIC WORKS SCHEME (From Our Resident Reporter.) • WELLINGTON, Thursday. THE Prime Minister made it 1 quite clear to-day that the Government would subsidise voluntary local contributions for unemployment to the extent of £ for £, providing always that the money was expended on works approved by Cabinet. It also was indicated that the Government intended to extend the scheme instituted some weeks ago on the co-operative contract system for the relief of unemployment. This was in reply to Mr. H. L. Hills (Christchurch), who waited on Mr Coates and the Hon. G. J. Anderson! representing the unemployed of Christchurch. Mr. Hills claimed that investigations In the South proved that the working people were purchasing from the eorekeepers only the barest necessities of life, and very little of those. Many were succumbing in the straggle for existence. The Christtsurch figures (out of work, over 600) placed a responsibility on the Government. The City Council had made ( tig endeavours to relieve the position, ml water reticulation work would iiaorb over 100 men. The council us also subsidising local contribu:ms of the Citizens’ Committee, and the Government was asked for a similar subsidy. Mr. Anderson: We have not couriered that aspect. If the council is already subsidising Mr. Coates: Oh. It is all right, so hag as the money is expended on >orlt approved. -Mr. Hills said only 50 men were employed from the ISO asked for at Ba warden. Mr. Coates said that this probably *as because the men would not take the work offered. EXTENSION OF SCHEME Mr. Anderson said that under the acheme outlined in March there were o'er 2,000 men employed and the scheme was considered a success. Instructions now had been given to the Public Works Department to give the Government another scheme to proride work for as many as possible unemployed. This would be ready in a day or two. At the present time, however, public works were carrying oearly 13,000 men, or over 5,000 more ■han required in normal times. “We ho not accept responsibility for unemployment,” he said; “we do our lest, and none regrets more than we lo the present state of things. It is Regrettable that, from causes, all traceable to economic factors, we are having bad times. The relief scheme *as not a failure and had achieved its Purpose, and it is anticipated that the Jew scheme would do a great deal more to alleviate the position.”