“HOPELESS DRIFT”

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 138, 7 March 1930, Page 12

“HOPELESS DRIFT”

GOVERNMENT AND UNEMPLOYED VIGOROUS LABOUR PROTEST MINISTERS DEFEND POLICY Charging lhe Government with pursuing a policy of patchwork and hopeless thrift in regard to the unemployment problem, a deputation representing the Labour movement in Wellington yesterday waited on Hie Minister of Lands (Hon. G. W. Forbes) and tlie Minister of Labour (Hon W. A. Veitch) to demand tliat immediate steps be taken to deal with the situation as it exists in 55 ellington. In reply, the Ministers defended tlie Government’s actions, and claimed it had done more to alleviate tlie trouble than had any previous Governments.

The deputation was introduced by Mr. R. Semple, M.P., who declared that the unemployment situation in Wellington was very serious, as, although the seasonal occupations were in full swing, the number of men registered as unemployed was 000. That did not represent the total num ber out of work, however, since many did not register, and it would be sale to say that the unemployed in Wellii gton numbered 1000. “In view of their election promises we did expect the Government to tackle this problem in a practical and courageous fashion, but up to date this has not been done, added Mr. Semple. “The Government has merely pursued a patchwork policy. It is true that the number of men on public works and Government roads has been increased, but in spite of this, the position is worse to-day than it was this time last year. Labour Discouraged. “We are disappointed with and discouraged by the policy the Government has pursued,” said Mr. Semple. “It seems to me the Government is in this connection pursuing a P<>Mot hopeless drift, hoping against hope> for something to develop that will assist it in what is its own personal responsibility As a Government which came So power by criticising the other fellow for his sins in this matter, it is onlv reasonable to expect it to demonstrate beyond all .doubt that it can deal with tlie problem.” Mr. Semple said the deputation wanted the Government to make good its election promises and tackle the problem with courage, fortitude and vision. Government’s Intentions Sought. The assistant secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party (Mr. W. Bromley) stated that at the previous deputation to Mr. Veitch they had laid the full particulars before him. They now wished to hear the Government, through Mr. Forbes, make some statement as to what was going to be done to alleviate the present position of unemployment. The report of the Unemployment Committee had been released, and it contained some very valuable suggestions, but he did not think that it contained anything that would be of immediate benefit to those pool unfortunates that were at present out of work and looking for a job. They did not want to be told that the report of the Unemployment Committee would receive consideration when Parliament met. What they did want to know was what was the immediate intention of the Government regarding the meu in Wellington and elsewhere who were out of work. Building Trade Affected. It was stated by the secretary of the Carpenters’ Union (Mr. J. Moulton) that a situation new to the building trade was being faced, since that trade in February was showing slackness. Carpenters were hard hit, and the latest figures available showed that in Wellington one-tenth of the union membership was out of work( and onesixth in each of the Auckland, Christchurch, ami Dunediu unions. As a means of assisting the building trade, Mr. Moulton suggested that the Government should authorise at once the rebuilding of the old wing of Parliament House. Alleged Breach. The secretary of the Labourers’ Union (Mr. P. N. Butler) demanded that the Government do something immediately to relieve the distress which he said existed in Wellington. He alleged that the Government by its action in stipulating that not more than 14/- a day should be paid on works carrying its unemployment relief subsidy, had assisted (he Wellington City Council to reduce the wages of its employees. The result had been tliat men were put off the “permanent-casual” staff and put on the same work at relief wages. That was a breach of the agreement between the council and the union, and also of the I.C. and A. Act. The representations of the deputation were supported also by the secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party (Mr. IV. Nash, M.P.), and the secretary of the Tracies and Labour Council (Mr. F. D- Cornwell). The Government’s Record. In reply, the Minister of Lands ami Chairman of the Cabinet Unemployment Committee (Mr. G. W. Forbes) said that the Government had been watching the matter of unemployment very closely, and he thought they could claim that during the time they had been in office they had done more to alleviate the trouble than had any previous Government. It was difficult to find work on which money could be spent that could be looked upon as useful and reproductive. As regarded Wellington, the position as at February 24, 1930, was as follows:— Applications Witli Without pending. dependants, dependants. Fit for heavy work 242 232 Fit for light work 23 27 Of the 474 men lit for heavy work, 79 men with dependants mid 14 without dependants ' (total 93) were not prepared to accept country work, mid in addition 23 of them with dependants mid 39 without depeudants (total 62) were sent lo relief works after September 30 last, and left of their own accord. Some 1509 men had beeu sent: to Government works from Wellington since tlie present Government assumed office, including 291 placed since Christmas; mid 252 men had refused Government work in tlie country since December, 1928. A Poor Response. Last week, Mr. Forbes added, letters were sent to 107 married men in Wellington stating that the Government had work available on the West Coast and requesting them to call at the bureau by noon on Tuesday last if they were prepared to accept it. Replies ff ere received from. 33 meu, but only

20 of them were willing to accept the work. Previously offers of work on the West Coast were made to 27 married men in the Hutt Valley but only six accepted. The Labour Department’s return for the week ended on Monday last showed that tlie registrations had fallen by 77 to 447, including 57 men in the Hutt Valley. These comprised 347 fit for heavy work and 43 fit for light work. The men fit for heavy work consisted of 174 with dependants and 173 without dependants. Unemployment on Public Works There were 1324 men employed on public works in the Wellington district at the present time. He thought they must admit that the Government had been endeavouring to meet the position and relieve the urgent cases in regard to employment. It was impossible to find work for every man out of work. Out of the 107 men asked if they would go to the Coast for work — and that was the only work available at the time—the small percentage of 20 was willing to accept. Mr. Nash: How long had the names of those 107 men been registered. It may have been that some of those men had been registered for some five weeks prior to that letter being sent out? The Minister replied that the 107 men had renewed the registrations within a fortnight of the letter being sent out. It was a difficult matter to arrive at the actual number of men who were actually in need of assistance. He believed that there were a great many men who were out of employment and who were in a position that was very difficult. He recognised that this was so, and assured the deputation that the Government were quite alive to the responsibility bf the Government to try to relieve those cases. “All Must Help.” The Minister said the Government considered that all local bodies and private employers should do their part in helping in. the problem of unemployment. There was a larger number of meu now at work on public works than had ever been the case before at this time of the year. They had no prospect at present of placing any large number of men in the Wellington province—there were no works that could be started. They could make provision to relieve necessitous cases by placing the men on the Midland Railway. For several weeks now they had been sending men down to the Westport district. It had not been anticipated that they would be faced with a position such as the present during the summer months. He would not give promises unless he knew they could be carried out, but he would state that he was well advised of the position, and would endeavour to do all possible to alleviate the position. A Comparison. The Minister of Labour (Hon. W. A. Veitch), in reply to Mr. Semple’s statement that the Government had been “tinkering” with the situation, said that the worst that could be said against the Government in this case was that although they had made calculations and full provision for the employment of greatly increased number of men on unemployment relief they had been faced with the situation that more men required relief than they had made provision for. The weekly average of men employed on public works for the last financial year was 12,487, and for the present financial year 14.089, representing an increase of 1602. Expenditure Increase. The number of men employed on February 22, 1929, had been 14,544, while those employed on February 22, 1930, bad been 15,830, an increase of 1286. That was in the Public Works Department alone, while the State Forestry Department were employing many hundreds of men. During ten months of this year £80,831 had been passed over to local bodies, compared with £68.567 for the previous twelve months. The total expenditure by the present Government for ten months had been £1,012,852 as compared with £802.710 for the previous 12 months. Those figures. the Minister contended, showed an earnest attempt had been made by the Government to meet the situation.