INCIDENCE OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 260, 3 August 1928, Page 13

INCIDENCE OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Sir,—Political economists have much .. to say about “the incidence of taxation.” whether local or general. The incidence of unemployment is also a matter for people to consider noAvadays. There is one-great body of people on whom it falls heavily, yet who do not make any public fuss about it, .nor “Avait on the ; Mayor,” nor petition the Minister of Internal affairs, nor take any of the other i public steps Ave are getting so used to. This body of people are the retailers, Avhose selling of goods diminishes in i hard times, and Avho carry in their books ■ from month to month the “accounts rendered,” not only those of the unemploy- ■ ed, but those of the rich. In a southern i town years ago a business man told me j that one of the greatest difficulties in a business avus to get the very rich to pay their bills. The very fact that they could i do so at any moment seemed to make'for I the putting off of that moment! But it ; is not only the Aery rich who make the I retailers’ burden a heavy one re bills, i We all knoAv that it is the little-amounts •’ that mount up, and if we all do our very i best to clear off little amounts, Ave help 1 on the prosperity of this country, and i lessen the burdens of life for others. I Avrite from an intimate knowledge of how worthy are the body of retailers to be considered. Take them, by and large they are beyond all praise for their consideration for the public, especially when it comes to a matter of any of the public being hard up, or out of work, or in any ! Avay “down and out.” They deserve all 1 the consideration and thanks it is pos- ' sible to give them. The best thanks of 1 all at the present time, of course, is to 1 pay one’s bills as fast as one can! —I am, •’ etc., i GRACE FOX. 1 Otaki, July 29. 1 t 1