PROVIDING JOBS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 29, 3 February 1945, Page 6

PROVIDING JOBS

LIBERALS' POLICY Motion Adopted Outlining Economic Plans N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 2.30 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 2. The main instrument of employment policy is a new type of Budget based on manpower, said Sir William Beveridge, M.P., moving an executive resolution on employment at the Liberal party's conference. Sir William defined full employment as more paid jobs than, men and women looking for jobs. He said employment depended on spending. It must become the State's responsibility to ensure that total spending was adequate for full employment, but it must be spending to advantage, namely, spending on a long-term programme of attack against want, disease, ignorance and squalor and at the same time spending to raise the standard of living by increasing output per head. W T hile the maintenance of adequate total spending must be the State's responsibility, that did not mean a large part thereof should directly be undertaken by the State. Most spending in a free community would be that of private citizens spending for consumption according to tastes.

The Liberal party's policy, while accepting nationalisation of particular industries for special reasons, left the greater part -of industry to private enterprise. The policy took as an aim the maximum of international trade consistent with stability. The aim should be pursued with and on the basis of full employment at home. Export trade was too vital to leave its adequate development to chance, but there was no departure from the view that economic nationalism was an evil.

The resolution, in addition to the points made by Sir William Beveridge, called for a national minimum wage, adequate social services and allowances, and for the immediate institution of a comprehensive national health scheme without charge for treatment.

The resolution was carried with only four dissentients, after the overwhelming defeat of an amendment advocating ■ land taxationremoval, of restrictions on the production and exchange of wealth, the establishment of free trade and the abolition of legally-maintained restrictive practices preventing the functioning of a free market at home.