"PATCHWORK"

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 56, 7 March 1930, Page 10

"PATCHWORK"

GOVERNMENT ACCUSED

UNEMPLOYMENT TROUBLE

MINISTER IN REPLY

Allegations that the Government has so far pursued only a patchwork policy in regard to meeting the unemployment problem, and that it has not l; ved up to its election promises were made by a Labour deputation which waited on the Ministers of Lands and Labour yesterday afternoon, demanding that immediate steps be taken to deal adequately with the situation. The Ministers declared that the Government was alive to the position and doing all it could, and figures were quoted in support of the contention that an earnest attempt had been made to meet the trouble. Introducing the' deputation, Mr. is. Semple, M.P., said that in view of the election promises of the Government they had expected the Government to tackle the unemployment problem in a practical and courageous manner, but so far that had not been done. The Government had merely pursued a patchwork policy. He admitted that the number of men on Public Works jobs had increased, but notwithstanding the position was worse to-day than it was at the same time last year. Mr. Semple referred to the Government's unemployment policy as one of "hopeless drift, hoping against hope for something to develop that will assist it in what is its own personal responsibility." As the Government had come into power criticising others for their omissions in the matter, it was reasonable to expect it to demonstrate that it could deal with the problem. They asked the Government to make good its election promises, and tackle unemployment with courage, fortitude, and vision. They Were disappointed with and discouraged by the present policy. NOT. OF IMMEDIATE BENEFIT. The assistant secretary of tho New Zealand Labour Party, Mr. W. Bromley, said they would like to hear some statement as to what tho Government proposed to do to alleviate the present position of unemployment. He did not think the report of the Unemployment Investigation Committee contained anything that would be of immediate benefit to those out of work. They did •not want to be told the report would be considered when Parliament met; they •wanted to know what was the immediate intention of the Government in regard to relieving the situation. Other speakers who strongly supported the deputation's case were Messrs. J Moulton (secretary of tho Carpenters' Union), P. N. Butler • (secretary of the General Labourers' Union), Mr. W. Nash, M.P. (secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party), and Mr. F. D. Oornwell (secretary of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council). > MANY OFFERS; FEW REPLIES. In replying, the. Minister of Lands (the Hon. G. W. Forbes), who is chairman of the Cabinet Unemployment Committee, said the Government ' had been watching the unemployment position very closely. He thought the Government, during its term of office, had done more to alleviate the trouble than had any previous Government. It was difficult to\ find useful and reproductive works on which to spend money. Quoting the Wellington unemployment figures, Mr. Forbes said that applications had been received from 474 men who were fit for heavy work "242 of whom had dependants, and from 50 who wero fit for-light work, including 23 with dependants. Of those who were fit for heavy work, tV men with dependants and 14 without dependants (total 03) were not prepared to accept country work, and in addition 23 of them with dependants and 39 without dependants (total 62) were sent to relief works after 30th September last, and left of their own accord. Some 1509 men had been sent to Government works from Wellington since the present "Government assumed office, including 291 placed since Christmas: and 252 men had refused Government work in the country since December, 1928. Last week letters were sent to J.u/ married men in Wellington stating that the Government had work available on the West Coast, and requesting them to apply by noon last Tuesday if they were prepared to accept. Replies were received from 33 men, but only 20 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 registration return for the week ended on Monday last showed that the registrations had fallen by 77 to 447, including 57 men in the Hutt Valley. These included 347 men fit for heavy heavy and 43 for light work. Of those fit for heavy work, 174 had dependants. ALIVE TO ITS RESPONSIBILITY. At present there were 1324 men employed on Public Works in the Wellington district. It must be admitted that the Government had been endeavouring to meet the position and relieve the urgent cases of unemployment. It was impossible to find work for every man who was unemployed. It was difficult to arrive at the actual number of men in need of assistance. Many men, he believed, were in a very dimcult position. He assured the deputation that the Government was quite alive to its responsibility to try to give relief. All local bodies and private employers should also do their part in affording relief. There was a larger number of men on Public Works now than ever before at this time of the year, and there was no prospect of placing any large number of men in Wellington province, for there were no works that could be started. Provision, could be made for necessitous cases by placing men on the Midland railway construction work. For several weeks past the Government had.been sending men to the Westport district. The Minister said he would not give promises unless he knew they could be carried out, but he was well advised as to tho position, and he would endeavour to do everything possible to alleviate the trouble. . INCREASE OF 2000. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. W. A. Veitch), replying to the allegation that the Government had so far only tinkered with the situation, said that the worst that coxild be said against the Government was that although they had made calculations and full provision for the employment of greatly increased numbers of men on relief works, they were faced with the position that more men required relief than provision had been made for. The weekly average number 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 22nd February, 1929, had been 14,544, while those employed on 22nd February, 1930, had been 15,830,. an increase of 1286. That was in the Public Wtfrks 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 tho previous twelve months. Those figures, the Minister contended, show-1 ed an earnest attempt had been made by the Government to meet the situation. , . ]