THE LABOUR PARTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 8

THE LABOUR PARTY.

ADDRESS BY MR. JORDAN.

UNEMPLOYMENT AND TRANSPORT.

Under the auspices of the Glen Eden branch of the N.Z. Labour Party, Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P. for Manukau, addressed a public meeting in the Anglican Church Hall on Wednesday evening. The meeting, at which Mr. J. H. Hayes presided, was well attended.

Mr. Jordan spoke on the "Political Outlook," and in the course of his remarks dealt with the various phases of unemployment, the land question, etc., quoting figures from the N.Z. Year Book, 1028, showing the steady decrease in the population on the land. Being a member of the Lands Committee of the House, he recently decided to test the value of the advice so often freely given to the unemployed that they should go to the country for work, and personally traversed the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and other districts, and without exception in every locality he was told that there was no chance or a job, as there were local men out of work. At the same time the figures showed that' more immigrants were brought into New Zealand in 1927 than in any one year since 1875.

One item of particular local interest touched upon by Mr. Jordan was the question of transport. Much criticism had been passed upon both himself and Mr. H. G. R. Mason, M.P., on account of their vote in the House on this matter.' He expressed himself as in favour of a transport board for the Auckland metropolitan area, and explained that such a transport board was recommended by a committee of the House. It was in view of this recommendation, which they at the time believed would be given effect to by the Government, that their vote for which they had been criticised was recorded. The fault lay with the Government, which had failed to give effect to the recommendations of i ita own committee.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the speaker, which wis moved by Mr. H, Hicatt, and a resolution movfd by the chairman, which 'was carried unanimously, to be forwarded to tile member for the district, urging upon the Government the necessity of introducing an Unemployment Insurance Bill into the House during the next session of Parliament.