UNEMPLOYMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 67, 21 March 1938, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT.

One must commend the Labour Government for tbe earnest manner in whk-li it is tackling the unemployment problem. The latest figures indicate that there arc approximately 14.000 men awaiting- placement throughout the Dominion. If we accept these figures at their face vahio. we mu~t admit that the problem is not nearly so serious as previously. With ithe approach of the general elections at the lend of the year, the Government will no doubt 'redouble its efl"ort<s to reduce this number. It would be a feather in ite cap if every man fit and able to work was placed in full-time work by that date. Surely it would not lie beyond j the Government's power to see that every ; man at presort engaged in full-time employment is retained on the various local body jobs carryincr a Government subsidy. Unlees : somcthiTisr of the kind is done, hundreds of 'liven will be throVn out of employment just as the winter approaches. It would be policy on the nciveriiment's part to adopt as an axiom. "Every man pt present in employment to remain at hi* job." Let it device ways and mean* to absorb the remaining unemployed. To a«k men who have tasted the joy of remunerative work to j:o back to the misery of sustenance is no way to solve the problem. Lot us 20 forward, not backward. One his only to note the improvements effected in various boroughr-. t<> realise that the men are performing useful work, and that it i~ theiv to be dime. . 111 place of neglected parks and streets we I'm 1 public place.* that sre tidy and an advertisement to their boroughs. Newmarket may Iμ? cited a-= an instance of this. A transformation has taken place there. I trust that the Government will continue to subsidise th« borough*, and enable them to retain the servi es of renderin" useful service. Kee;i fit n:e:i off s>-tenance. It i<? not only a precarious ex:-t"n e -it i« 0- '■'..l?dlv uneconomic. KEEP WORKING. "