Work to be Started for Five Hundred

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 702, 29 June 1929, Page 1

Work to be Started for Five Hundred

AUCKLAND MEASURES GOVERNMENT ACTION (THE SUN’S Parliamentary ReporterJ PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Friday. Arrangements have been made in Auckland to place 500 men on Government relief works. These Government measures had nothing to do with the offer to the Auckland City Council of a subsidy of £25,000. In Auckland no one could blame the Government for not helping to find work. The Prime Minister this afternoon reviewed the unemployment situation and made the above announcement. Sir Joseph said that in Auckland there were on the list of the Labour Department (527 married men out of work, and 448 single men, making a | total of 1,075. In Wellington there j were 157 married men and 255 single I men, totalling 412, while in North j Auckland there were on the books of the department 31 married and 16 ! single men. In North Auckland it was hoped to place in employment very soon 120 men, and in Wellington 370 men were on city relief works, and it was hoped to bring that number to 450 or 500 as soon as the necessary arrangements were made. • During the Imprest Supply Bill debate, references to unemployment were made frequently by the Labour members. Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West) set the ball rolling, and the other Labour members followed in his train. Mr. Savage quoted from newspapers of 1926 showing that the unemployment problem was acute then, and had not improved to the present day. Ministers had said that the responsibility was with the local bodies. It was not. The question was national, and the responsibility was with the Government. After going well, and reaching the limit of his time, Mr. Savage was asked what suggestions he had for improving the situation. He said that the responsibility was with .the Government. On the motion of Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Waitomo) he was granted an extension. He urged the Government to tackle the problem, and not to do as the Reform Government had done. He would support any party that would deliver the goods. “Reform,’’ he said, “took the orders and failed to deliver the goods. I hope the United Party turns out j better. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates: It will ; be much worse. Mr. Savage: Oh, no! They couldn’t! be worse. They’re pretty bad, though.! There was a gale of laughter. j Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) j said that the problem In Wellington j was becoming more acute. The perplexing fact of the whole business was that the Public Works Department was putting off men. It and its Minister were not grappling with the question. Messrs. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) and J. W. Munro (Dunedin North), and others, also spoke. UNEMPLOYMENT INCREASE A slight increase in unemployment in Auckland is shown by figures supplied by the Government Labour Department this morning, a total of 1,080 men being registered compared with 1,075 last week. Of this week’s total 911 men are classed as fit for heavy work and 169 for light work, while the total for the previous week showed 901 and 174 respectively. During the past week 76 men were placed In work compared with 114 for the period ending June 22.

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