WINTER AND WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1926, Page 6

WINTER AND WORK.

Almost invariably the advent of winter brings with it complaints of unemployment and a demand for some measure of relief. This winter offers no exception to the rule, and yesterday's deputation to the -Minister of Labour on the matter brought with it a list of the names of lour hundred who are out oi work, with an intimation that the list was not a complete one. The number ot unemployed in the city probably has been increased by the usual influx from the country districts who are driven into the towns through the partial suspension of operations in farming areas when activities are diminished by the oncoming of the cold and the rain. The Minister, in the course of bis reply, intimated that work would shortly be found for 150 men, and then gave the opinion that it was as much the concern of the City Council and private citizens to cope with the difficulty as it was that of the Government. Mr. Anderson thus disclosed a grave lack of appreciation of the duties of his office. The existing unemployment is very largely due to the slipshod and haphazard methods in which the Government carries out its immigration policy —if such a chaotic system can be honoured with the title. Britishers are encouraged to come out here in thousands: the one excuse for bringing them out is that tbey shall become producers. Yet when they arrive no effective steps are taken to give them access to the land, or to keep them there if they do go to the country districts. The result is that scores of them drift into the towns to swell an already inflated urban population. t

Unemployment is an inevitable consequence and the central authority, which is responsible for the creation of the problem, must accept the rosponsibility for its solution. National ills, and this is one of them, must be tree ted from a national point of view, and the Government's manifest duty is to take steps which will improve existing conditions and enable the workless. but willing, to carry on till the seasonal change does away with the necessity for emergency measures. Of course a certain amount can be done by the private employer. The suggestion made in our correspondence columns, for instance, that every householder who can afford it should give .in occasional day's work in the garden to some less fortunate worker is a good one, but it would have to be adopted on a very extensive scale to be of any real service. Employers of labour may also be able to assist at a little personal sacrifice, but. as we have said, it is the duty of the State, in the first instance, to provide for those who are unfortunately not in a position to provide for themselves and who want work, not charity.