SUGGESTIONS SOUGHT

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 265, 4 August 1932, Page 10

SUGGESTIONS SOUGHT

Manufacturers & Workless QUESTION OF SUBSIDIES At the meeting of the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association on Tuesday a letter was received regarding the unemployment situation, and the president, Mr. J. Abel, invited suggestions from manufacturers as to where work could be created in the manufacturing industries if a subsidy was provided by the Unemployment Board. A scheme like that of the allied building industries would be desirable, he said, but he pointed out that there were considerable difficulties from a manufacturers’ point of view, as any arrangements which were likely to create work must come from the consuming end. It would appear that any subsidy must go to the consumer, and that obviously created great difficulties from an individual manufacturer’s point of view. Mr. Abel was most anxious for manufacturers to bring forward any scheme or suggestion whereby the desired object could be achieved —putting more people back into employment. ■ Manufacturers are to be circularised for any suggestions. A communication was received from the chairman of the allied building Industries, in reply to a letter from the association, pointing out that the Unemployment Board had not been giving sufficient prominence to clause 8 of the subsidy scheme, which required that New Zealand materials and products must be used wherever possible. The letter stated that more prominence was being given to this matter. The following resolution was passed: “That this executive of the Manufacturers’ Association records their approval of the scheme to subsidise the labour cost of building, and recommends that when this scheme has been thoroughly tested that an extension be sought in the direction of directly assisting the putting down of plant to produce goods which are at present being imported either in finished or partly finished state.” In the discussion which ensued regarding subsidies from the Unemployment Board to create work, it was mentioned that the furniture trade was a suitable industry. Many of the schools needed new furniture, and probably a subsidy in that direction would enable the schools to procure furniture and help to create employment in the furniture trade. The matter of juvenile unemployment was brought forward by Mr. J. G. Marshall, the association’s representative on the local committee. Several suggestions are in hand, and it Is hoped that the position will be alleviated to a considerable degree.