UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19862, 25 February 1930, Page 13

UNEMPLOYMENT.

RELIEF MEASURES SUGGESTED. At a meeting of the.Trades and Labour Council's Unemployment Committee, held at the Trades Hall yesterday, several measures for the relief. of unemployment were discussed. The offer of Mr R. J. Ecroyd to address (he Trades and Labour "Council on the causes of unemployment was accepted. * It was resolved to press for a reply from the Minister for- Finance, Sir Joseph Ward, for his ■ reason for increasing the price of money, The committee contended that the raising of interest rates would have a very serious ' effect upon unemployment, and would be the means of adding to the number of unemployed. The- only apparent benefit would be reaped by the banks and their shareholders. The committee viewed with a. great deal, of alarm the position into -which the community is drifting for the coming winter. It was jesolved to urge the Government to speed up the work of railway construction 'and'to. double the number of men employed. It also decided to ask the Government not to treat these works as relief works, but as railway construction works. The roading and metalling of back-blocks was urged. The roading of land suit-able-for occupation and the preparing of the land was suggested as another means of absorbing the .unemployed. It was suggested that the la nd and bush between the Main Trunk Railway and Lake Tanpo would ■ give work and land to thousands of families if developed. As a third of this country was Crown land, the committee felt immediate steps could be. taken to put people on it It was suggested that Lake Ellesmere offered another reasonable and pavable proposition to drain and reclaim. lf .it ware -given to the Cit" as an endowment, the com- j mittee suggested it would pay tlie City j to do this work. It was resolved to ask the Main Highways Board to pusli on with its work in a more vigorous manner. Sub-committees worn appointed to ; br-iii" do>v'n reports of work that could j be immediately put in hand, such re- j ports to lie ready by next Monday.