UNEMPLOYMENT AND FARM LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 212, 8 September 1930, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT AND FARM LABOUR.

lam ready to concede the suggestion to subsidise farmers employing city labour. It is not meant to 'be a permanent remedy for unemployment, but it has the following immediate advantages: Real wealth production would be stimulated; the cost to the taxpayer (either town or country) would be one-third of present costs of relief works. Better conditions would be available to workers than on relief works. A good proportion of city unemployed might become conversant with country work and conditions and look for permanent Avork in the country. Further, in view of new-hoped-for land settlement policies, a good number might be encouraged to take up land ultimately. Under my scheme it would not be the established farmer who would benefit, but struggling farmers with largely unimproved farms. It is proposed to get farmers to help with the unemployed problem and under the scheme the farmers would be carrying half the cost. More real production is the need of the hour. It should be remembered the national Budget in Xew Zealand seems to approximate to about half the annual total of exports. If by helping production on farms we swell exports it seems that in the long run we would get most of our outlay back in national taxation. It may also be found that subsidising unemployment per medium of development work on farms is economically sound in many ways. It is cstimated every farmer keeps six others, not farmers, in employment in Xew Zealand. M. D. KEYS.