UNEMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 159, 31 March 1922, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

DECREASING IN BRITAIN THE INSURANCE BILL HUGE SUM PAID IN BENEFITS BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. —Copyright. (Rec. March 30, 8.15 p.m.) London, March 30. In the House of Commons Dr. Macnamara (Minister of Labour), in moving the second reading of the Unemployment Insurances Bill, said that since January 10 the number of totally unemployed had fallen from 1,934,000 to 1,762,000, and the partially unemployed from 303,900 to 236,000, but the engineering shipbuilding dispute threatened to throw back the country. Should there be a resolute determination to settle the dispute equitably in order to take the fullest advantage of the turn of the commercial tide, a new Bill would bo necessary to continue unemployment doles of fifteen shillings per week- to a man and twelve shillings to a Woman, together with five shillings for a man's wife and a shilling for each child. The Bill provided for fifteen weeks’ benefits to the end of October, in three instalments of five weeks each, with gaps of five weeks between. Mr. J. H. Thomas explained that while the Labour Party supported the Unemployment Insurance Bill, he wished to reaffirm his protest against this method of dealing with unemployment. A change of Government could not solve unemployment. It was an international problem. #l. Mr. A. Hopkinson moved the rejection of the Bill. Like many quack remedies, he eaid, it only added to the gravity of the disease. After debate the Bill .was read a second time without division. Dr. Macnamara, replying to questions, said the total unemployment benefits paid by the Government amounted to £15,900,000 in 1920, £62,500,000 in 1021. For the first quarter of 1922 the payments were estimated at £16,500,000.—Au5.-N.Z. Cable Assn,