THE UNEMPLOYMENT BILL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 6 September 1930, Page 17

THE UNEMPLOYMENT BILL.

{ " TO 188 EDJTOB OF TKii PRESS <v ' 'sir—lt may be, perhaps, premature f* , to' criticise the Government's attempt to grapple with the alarming uncmploy- ' neat problem that threatens to become a permanent blot upon our island civilisation. It should not bo denied, > however, that fair discussion of the Unemployment Bill, now under considera- ■ tion by Parliament, may greatly assist ; in elucidating ways, means, and methods ' whereby its successful operation may ~ bo ensured at the least cost and incpn- - venience to \tho public; and, more important still, without curtailing tho freedom and liberty of the individual, •won at great cost through centuries of < strife and struggle, from the granting ' ' of Magna Charta until the nineteenth t ..century. Apparently, to judge by the " ' Press reports, the Bill as drafted will ibe extremely difficult to operate; its in- , eitaee will be harsh and unjust upon " .those least able to endure, its enforcej&ment will involve tremendous effort and Smell extra work to ensure that every * /'mala twenty years of age or over pays the tax of 30a a year. ' ' Those least able to pay will be the 1 most difficult to locate, and , fteity when hunted down by the law offiWH, will probably be quite unable to JST. fines of £SO, while their few and personal belongings have littlo or no means) to pay the tax and cost 3 ofijjjteecution —or else gaol for men ' *® t only crime, would be poverty. .'irto easy to foresee an army of - and additional police makI iafetouse-ta-honao inquisitions for reI _ wcitrant or penniless taxable males. ' \ Unless every liable male is mulcted in i ft % amount of tax due, gravo injustice \ £ trill be * perpetrated upon those who pay willingly and promptly. Under the \;f, itheme proposed, all must pay. To ensure this will be expensive and ex- '' ceSdipgly: difficult. y IfjL sfwcial tax were imposed of, say, . 2d in the £1 on all wages earned by male] workers (twenty years of age and over), and a further 2d on every mul- / . tiple of £l, over 80s, the average on six rates of pay up to £6 10s per week [v' would work out at 30s 4d per head. Uit' • Per annum St;',,- s-d----:,K5^»E#?;i WOJOk would pay '.. 8 8 week would pay 17 4 ;f 50«i0"703 perweek would pay 26 0 1 •[■M; 70? to 90s per week would pay 34 8 ,90f to 110s per week would pay 43 4 • UOs to ISOs per week would pay 52 0 By this method the burden would bo waviest upon those best able to bear it. To cope with tho problem of certain M; inexpensive collection, booklets « special i stamps (for this purpose >nly) should- be' issued, procurable by pployers from any post office. It wnld, be Jhs employer's duty to affix M Requisite , stamps upon all wage receipt books, forms/etc., em"and, to deduct the amount of <UE payable" from the wage then due. bOj-Jhe employee's duty to see ihat the proper stamps were affixed, to ' »y for and cancel them when receiving }ia wages.- Moderate penalties for non'oophasce would ensure universal >M»M!eto the requirements. iljraMwof administering this special S5 little more than the exthe stamp booklets Iffiy trifling per 20,000), and the slight SMi®l?rical; costs incurred, by the j?M_pepaitment for handling and acsystem would ensure universal WPlieatfqtt ( to. all males actually earnwages. : It would ensure certain of the whole tax at the imgource of income. It would simple, inexpensive to JpwQ.iSnd equitable in adjustment. theso merits it surely deSv** •WWPDs consideration. Therefore Ji*?®P®!?tfully submit tho scheme to in the interest of the comjSjK&Balf .knowing that Great Britain its unemployment insurance iipon very similar lines—sueetc., PHTLPOT-CROWTHEKS. Wjptembcr sth, 1930. EKfJ'-' ; ' K. .. '