UNEMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 219, 12 June 1930, Page 12

UNEMPLOYMENT

“Everyone Concerned”

AUCKLAND ATTITUDE Prime Minister’s Reminder The demand made by a conference of Auckland local body representatives for a £lO,OOO grant for unemployment relief in the district was commented upon by the Prime Minister (Hon. G. W. Forbes) yesterday. He said he was disappointed with the attitude adopted by the conference, adding that the question of unemployment concerned all, and that the Government should not be called upon to shoulder the entire responsibility to the exclusion of local bodies. This was not the right spirit in which to approach the problem, he declared. “The request for special grants for the four chief centres emanated from the Auckland Hospital Board on the ground that the unemployed flocked from the country into the towns,” Mr. Forbes said. “But it is necessary to point out in relation to the Auckland situation that the Health Department last July reported that in spite of extra relief for unemployment, the hospital, rate for Auckland for maintenance was the lowest of the four main centres, and lower than a number of country districts. “The Auckland Hospital Board has stated that owing to the relief expenditure, it has found it necessary to increase its Igvy on local bodies from .28d. to .30d. Last year, however, the levy was reduced from .30d. to .28d., following a special grant of £lO,OOO from the Government, which seems to have had the prompt effect of enabling the board to reduce its levy that year on the contributing local authorities. Government’s Efforts. “The Government, of course, is doing everything that can be reasonably expected. It is taking the surplus men out of the cities where they are capable of doing active work on road construction,' and it is paying a £2 to £1 subsid.y to urban and suburban authorities to assist in dealing with the special difficulties of married men who are unable to leave the cities because of domestic ties-

“It is reasonable to remind Auckland public men that the cities which get all the advantage of a large population cannot be expected’wholly to rid themselves of their responsibilities In regard’to the employment of those people who are attracted to the cities. The latter have taken away a great many workers from the country, and the result has been greatly to the general advantage of cities and their business people. The high prices of land in those areas show how the increased population has enhanced the prosperity of the cities., Sharing Responsibility.

“Therefore, in times of depression it is only reasonable to expect that those who have profited by increased population should bear some responsibility in dealing with the problem, seeing that the Government is finding £1 for £1 to the Hospital Board, and, in addition, is providing £2 for £l' In the special conditions previously indicated, while the Government is itself finding work for thousands of workers.

“This question of unemployment is one which concerns us all, and to adopt the attitude that the Government alone is concerned and that there is no responsibility on local bodies or private individuals, is, to my mind, not the right spirit in which to meet the difficulties of men who, through no fault of their own owing to slackness of business, have to be helped. They have some claim on those who in good times have received benefit from the large city populations. It would be deplorable if, under the pressure of this problem, we as New Zealanders drifted away from our characteristic attitude of self-reliance and dropped our responsibilities wholly on the public exchequer.”