WORK AND MIGRATION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 141, 26 March 1928, Page 5

WORK AND MIGRATION

CONDITIONS IN AUSTRALIA. LABOUR PARTY’S VIEWPOINT. (Press Association—Copyright.) (‘Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day, At a reception to delegates attending the eight hours and labour day demonstration, Mr Holloway said that the problem of unemployment was closely linked up with' migration. As fast as the State Ministry employed men, an equal number of new arrivals seeking work were dumped into the State. At least 5000 families within a short distance of the Trades Hall were confronted whh starvation. The,, demanded that the- Governments should immediately call a halt with all policies and agreements associated with migration; until at .least those already here were provided with useful work. Mr Scullin (Deputy-Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labour Party), said that Mr Brace had submitted figures showing that there were only 32,000 unemployed in . Australia, but he (Mr Sc alii n) estimated that there were 100,000 without work. He said great stress had been laid upon the solution of the question of industrial unrest, but he did mot know of. any period when there was less industrial unrest ii- Australia. In the last census it was shown that unemployment was due to lack of work to the extent of 50 per cent., while industrial disputes were responsible for only three per cent., the remaining causes being sickness and accident.