ACTING-PREMIER'S STATEMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9545, 25 June 1921, Page 5

ACTING-PREMIER'S STATEMENT.

(Per Press Association.) / . WELLINGTON, June 24. On May 31, a mass meeting of Auckland trades' unionists drew up a memorandum and passed a resolution embodying proposals to cope with unemployment. They state^ that the financial stringency was due largely to the diversion of capital and loan money to war ., services. They suggested a national 'levy to pay the debt for war purposes, and a further levy on accumulated wealth for the immediate development' of hydro-electric power, land settlement, and homes for the people 5 and, rurxher, that the six million surplus should be devoted to authorised public works, advances to local bodies, irrigation, and workers' dwellings; trade union rates of wages to be paid for all work, whether of a relief character or otherwise. The resolution was\ forwarded to the Governmentj and Sir Francis Bell has now replied that he is unable to advise the Government to adopt the financial methods suggested. He dissents from every statement m the preamble submitted by the mass meeting setting I'Ebrtb. the reasons for the resolution, and he trusts that the Trades Council will agree with him that if jfchese statements are incorrect, the reasons founded on the statements are consequently invalid and the resolution misleading.