UNEMPLOYMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 433, 16 February 1909, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT.

The. meeting held , at "the; Town '■„ Hall last night ■to discuss tho: present .pinch of unemployment was obviously less a meeting of unemployed than a;Socialist demonstration. A great many of the. audi-. once_wcrc men iout of work : ahd unable to obtain employment, and- therefore anxious to see something'sensible done'on 'their behalf.. But, as the. absurd resolutions 'carried'after'the'two .chief motions had been disposed of■ make quito-.clear,:there was , , present a- strong force of Socialists, who. are not much concerned- about the present state of .the. labour market, excepting., in :soifar:as': ; it enables'them to preach.;their, foolish doctrine. 'That . the unemployed trouble is ,a real one,' '.and that, there is a good deal of industrial '■ distress, are.' facts, whibh;..cannot .'be, disputed,l but. it is easy to oxaggerate the position. ::It is .the .!duty' of those in authority .to : consider - ways ' and means of alleviating such distress -as exists, esV pecially since; winter is ahead; of us.' What : to,do. Isa very perplexing' question; Nothing is easior than -to call' upon, Uie Government to; push.ahead with its public works -programme; and put. in hand without'-.dolay the.: works which have been authorised.. But '.while the Government can-do; this with advantage, : it will only bo; a temporary 'solution of the What is wanted is the .removal ..of the remoyablo: causes leading to unemployment. . That will mean a vast change .in the methods thafcthe .Government. , has for so "pursiied.,.:. In the meantime: there is the present situation to : be met. Wo 'have -before ■ now 'suggested sound 'policy.' of afforestation .offers.; a means .of. relief from j the recurring congestion; of the labour market,' and we suggest that policy again; with: the" : caution that it -will: be useless , , unless 1 ;it l ; is, 'ac-' companied by a general return to. sound methods,' since it' cannot for .years bear ..the .fruit r which.sav'es, it:- from' classifica-' tiori; as one .of : the,wholly'/, unprofitable schemes of;-,"making work" which are. so often resorted.to by. embarrassed States.'. The'grotosquo'suggestion..: that tho ; .State should solve the problem-.by , issuing "State riotei; and. ..the .equally absurd proposal that.-'.'private ownership" should:be abolished 'are, only worth, notice,,for their warning, of the danger, : in all situations like•;the' present, i.that quack;, Socialistic nostrums, may Lbe,. resorted to. 'It is a littlo significant that the- suggestion , was put : ; forward . that the; Arbitration 1 - : ■ *:t should be abolished.,_'; Much,:as the ■Trades Councils; may sympathise ;With the unem-. ployed, 'they are, unlikely, to let' their symp'athy. go. the length of removing the: restriction's upon industry. ;which: tend'to lessen employment, v ■.:,;:/,. ; '.; : :. ~. 'i.->. i-\: