THE LABOR MARKET

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 112, 9 June 1909, Page 3

THE LABOR MARKET

MEETING THE UNEMPLOYED DIFFfcuLTY. ' GOVERNMENT PUSHING ON WITH . CONTRACTS. 30,000 ACRES OF BUSH TO BE FELLED. By Telegraph. —Press Association. .Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister informed a >V.v Zealand Times representative tonight that he tad called for a report on the state of the labor market from 1904 to

1909. This, showed that with the excep- ' tion of the gear 1908, the number of men employed by the Public Works I)c----partiifrat was greater during the present year than at any other time. The latest in formation from the burea.ix , ffltows that in Auckland for the week ■ ended June sth, 43 jnaiTivd nieii and 106 aisgis men registered their names with the Department. In Wellington there were 130, including 30 .married; 'n ChristchuTch 117 married and 44 single; and in Dunedin 8 married and 4 single. A .number vrere assisted to work in each centre.

The number of men employed by .tlis Public W'orks and Roads Departments , during April last was 88d2, against 5830 ttr 'tl* same month in 1908. The Government had all! along done its best to meet the position by employing men upon reproductive works. The amount of wbrk mow proceeding in reading the baddblocto was extensive, though wi'hin appropriations authorised by Parlta- . mertt To meet the position further, the Government has pushed on the contract for the Auakland post office, and pnweeded witti the foundations of the WeMmghm post office and .given help in other ways. .The Government h»s decided to pro- , vide further work in- the direction of i bushfeHing and clearing: ' ■There are 30,000 acres of bush land in the WMimarrao ,btack which can be cleared at oaiee, giving a large amount ot employment from till Novemfoer. Tlis land, - when dKeared and burned,

Would be ready for stet'tlament. Therefore men. fit to do thjs work can .be -put > on without deEay. Sir Joseph Ward *id ooe diffi»% lay in a •desire of !,» number of the unemffloyed to stay in the towns. 'Uadier thte State-organised qystem of Jalbor bureaux the Gorernment was regularly funnisited with information concerning th 4 labor market.