UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22136, 5 July 1937, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

MINISTER OFFERS NO STATEMENT

PERMANENT REHABILITATION PLANNED

[THE PRESS Special Service.! WELLINGTON, July 3. "Until measures for permanent rehabilitation now being formulated by the Government have been brought to fruition, and details of the national superannuation scheme in relation to unemployment insurance have been completed, no statement can be made cbout unemployment taxation, according to the Acting-Minister for Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, in a letter to the executive of the Associated Chambers of Ccmmerce of New Zealand. "Regarding your inquiry as to whether registrations under \.e state Placement Scheme are included in the published figures of unemployed, wrote the Minister, "it would seem that your organisation is under tne impression that the State Placement Se.-vlce concerns itsslf only with registered unemployed, but this is not the case, although, incidentally, all registered unemployed must enrol with the Placement Service. The total enrolments at the va-ious placements offices, therefore, cannot be accepted as a criterion that all men enrolled are unemployed, as in many cases a person in employment which perhaps may not be congenial takes advantage of the services offered by the Plac-ment Service in the hope that he may be referred to a more suitable position, or a position might be arranged in his : original trade which, pcssibiy as a resu.t of the econcmic conditions obtaining over the last lew years, he has been compelled to relinquish.

State of the Fund

"With regard to the second question | raised by you (the possibility oi: a reduction in unemployment taxation), 1 desire to inform you that the financial position of the Employment Promotion Fund is constantly under review, and care has been taken to ensure that the funds available have been utilised for the purposes outlined in the Employment Promotion) Act and that the expenditure is kei>i. reasonably within the revenue. Until measures for permanent rehabilitation being iormulated by uie Government can be brought to iruition, and the details of the national superannuation scheme in relation to unemployment insurance have been finalised, it would be premature lor me to make any statement about unemployment taxation at this juncture. 1 feel sure your association will appreciate tnat the question is one uhecting finance in general, and as such will no doubt be aealt with by my col--1 league, the Minister ior Finance, when I presenting the Budget during the i lorthcormng session.."