"A BELATED EFFORT."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 32, 8 February 1928, Page 12

"A BELATED EFFORT."

PRIME MINISTER'S INQUIRY.

INTO UNEMPLOYMENT

SITUATION.

PLEA FOR REGISTRATION

"Whatever the Prime Minister is doing or is going to do iu regard to the unemployment situation, it is a belated effort. Something definite should have been done long ago in anticipation of the serious position that has to be faced to-day," said a prominent Labour secretary this morning, in referring to Hon. J. G. Coates' assurance that otlicial CO-ordination had been achieved and the Auckland unemployment problem was now receiving attention. "The Prime Minister has really said nothing, but he has promised to do certain things. You will find that every union in Auckland is prepared to cooperate with the Government or anyone else in an effort to solve the problem, and gladly place any information available at their disposal," he added.

Another secretary said that, had the scheme of unemployment insurance been given effect to, the Prime Minister would not have found it necssarv to investigate the unemployment situation at this late stage. He would have had all the information he required at his finger tips, because special committees would have been functioning in the various centres to ascertain the causes of industrial depression and the reasons for workmen being idle. The position was that while some trades were flourishing others were languishing for want of assistance.

As indicated by the Prime Minister, a representative of his own Department (Mr. T. R. Aickin) is at present making a special investigation of the unemployment situation in the city. This moruing he busied himself round Departmental offices and other sources where knowledge of the city's workless is likely to be found, and he anticipates returning to Wellington this evening. Mr. Aickin will report to Mr. Coates direct as the result of his inquiries. Meanwhile, he can make no statement for publication.

Referring this morning to the difficulty of accurately gauging the extent of unemployment, Mr. Aickin said that social workers and union secretaries gave varying estimates of the gravity of the problem. For his purposes, however, it was necessary to make the closest possible computation of those requiring work. It would assist bini greatly in his investigations if people who were idle would make a point of registering at the bureau of the Labour Department. If every person seeking labour was listed with the Department, the Government would have before it o complete statement and would be able to take measures accordingly., Tt was reported that many men merely registered with their unions, and Mr. Aickin suggested, that social workers and secretaries of organised labour should urge on every application for work the necessity of registering w.ith tl.e Labour Department. If that were done there could be no duplication, and the list would provide the surest data as to the extent'of the problem. Such a complete return was a first essential when considering measures of relief.