REMEDIAL MEASURES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 59, 13 March 1929, Page 9

REMEDIAL MEASURES

MELCHETT COMMITTEE

ITS RECOMMENDATIONS

United Press Association—By Electric Tele-

erapb—Copyrieht.

Australian Press Association—United Service.

(Received 13th March, noon.)

LONDON, 12th March.

The Joint Committeo of the Industrial Conference has issued an unemployment report signed by Lord Melehett and Mr. Ben Tillett. The recommendations includo a migration policy which should be co-ordinated for the British Commonwealth by a joint committee, including "employers and trades unionists. Migration funds should be largely increased by loans, the funds being controlled by a committee representative of industry under the- chairmanship of a member of the Cabinet. A similar committee should be established in the Dominions. A programme extending over twenty years, including tho migration of community groups, should be aimed at.

Other recommendations include an inquiry into pensions schemes with a view of enabling pensions to be granted at 65, thereby relieving the labour market. Eaising the school age should also be considered. The Government should create and maintain a development fund to finance important national schomes.

The committee urges the extension of export credits with the re-institu-tion of more liberal trade facilities, while Government and municipal contracts should be placed in Britain under certain conditions and a Crown Colonies Committee should bo formed to enable development and the placing of orders for plant in Britain. The report adds that the rationalisation of industry in the widest sense should be pressed on as rapidly as possible in consultation with the trades unions, but should bo introduced gradually, industries ana firms establishing a labour reserve fund from the profits to assist lisplaced workers.

The committee advocates the exploration of means for a. more authoritative contact between agriculture and industry, and urges a Government inquiry into currency and banking policy in which industrialists and financiers should participate while the Treasury and Bank of England should make every effort to implement the rceom■nendations of tho Genoa Conference.

The committee states that there, are so many basic factors governing the situation that it is at present possible only to indicate the measures which should immediately be piit into operation and certain, basic remedies to ivhieh the conference might give further attention later. The committee lopes that a revival of shipbuilding will have a repercussion, and that allied industries will shortly improve employment. Although it does not yet appear that the basic industries will immediately improve, the committee advocates evolving, a national programme without delay.l If that policy were carried out there would be no ground for despair because Britain's activity and prosperity could bo raised to a higher level than before, provided proper measures were taken. The conimitteo holds that the monetary policy since 1919 has not assisted industry. The manner in which inflation operated hindered industrial recovery, while it had been difficult for air British industries to adapt themselves' to post-war sonditiwis.

Tho report regrets that tho Economic Conference's tariff resolutions so far have been almost without result, and adds that improved Anglo-Russian trade would greatly assist unemployment. ,

A full jointsession of the conference adopted the report.