"DOLE" OR FUND?

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 56, 7 March 1930, Page 14

"DOLE" OR FUND?

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

MUNICIPAL SCHEME

DIVERGENT VIEWS

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) INVEBCABGILL, 6* March. The question of making provision for alleviating unemployment was discussed at tlae, conference of the Municipal Association of New Zealand to-day. A: considerable discussion took place, and it was decided to submit a sclieme outlined, by, the.Mayor of Wellington (Mr. 6. A; Troup). to the Government. Mr. Coulter (Te Arolia) said that he considered it was the duty of the conference to deal with the problem of unemployment, and he moved that a special committee should be set up to investigate the matter. ■ The Eev. J. K. Archer (Christchureh) seconded the motion and said that unemployment in New Zealand was not only a folly but a crime. Sir Charles Fergusson had suggested a. conference, but no one was making' a move to carry) out the suggestion. Municipalities were bearing the burden of supporting unemployment, and if there was money to do that there was money to employ men. Mr. G. A. Troup (Wellington) said that a scheme had been devised two years ago and had been sent to the Government as an unemployed insurance scheme. This scheme had provided for a fund which would have met any needs1 arising out of unemployment. Mr. Cdates had refused . the scheme because it would cost the Government a quarter of the total capital, but the speaker'claimed more than that was being spent to relieve unemployment. ■ A FUND THE ONLY WAY. Mr. Troup attacked ■ the scheme for unemployment insurance recently published. He held that the suggestion that local bodies should be taxed was wrong in principle. The only way to meet the difficulty was to set up a fund as had been suggested two years ago, and apply it t(f provide work and not as a dole. He moved: — "That this conference of local bodies objects to the proposal put forward by1 ' the special committee set up by the Government as set forth in the daily Press, on the following grounds: (1) In their opinion work, and not a dole should be provided; (2) that the principle of taxation of municipalities m the manner provided is unfair and unsound :* (3) that New Zealand is not able to stand an additional. taxation of £1,000,000 annually. This conference recommends the Government to adopt the unemployment insurance scheme prepared by this association, the payments for which shall be one penny in the pound on all wages to be • paid by the following contributors:— (a) The employee; (b) the employer; (c) the Government; (d) local bodies. •■ Of the contributions the Government shall expend one-quarter of the amount on the employment of single men, the local bodies shall expend three-quarters of the amount on the employment of married men. Councillor T. Bloodworth (Auckland) objected to the remit on the ground that it might provide the Government with an excuse for holding up consideration of'-the report brought down by its own committee/ He did not think any scheme of land settlement would meet the-difficulty for, he said, during the last three years the population, of New Zealand had increased by 3 per cent., while horse-power for manufacturing machinery had increased to 200,000... L OBJECTION TO WOBD "DOLE." Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P. (Christchurch) said he objected to the word "dole." If a man insured his house and it was burnt down the insurance, was not regarded as a dole. If a man insured himself against unemployment he had a right to the insurance if ho became genuinely unemployed. Ho suggested that the conference's scheme should be sent to the Government for consideration along with the Unemployment Committee's scheme. Mr. M. F. Luckie (Wellington) said he held that the scheme outlined by Mr. Troup was vastly superior to the one brought down by the Government's Committee. He agree with Mr. Sullivan that there was nothing derogatory an the term "dole," but it was open _ to abuse and they should try to do" without it. The beauty of the conference's scheme was' that the money provided by the municipalities would be spent in the municipalities on useful work. Mr. Bloodworth said the problem they had to face was that of providing a market for the goods produced, by the employed. He held "that the scheme of making men provide their own wages was a vicious one." . ■ Mr. Luekie: "They would only■ pro- ■ vide one-quarter." ........ The Bey. Mr. Archer asked how men at present unemployed and so unablejo contribute to the scheme would get work, - Mr. Troup: "They would be employed." .-•.-. Mr. Archer: "According to the - scheme they could not be employed. Mr. Luckie: " That's not. true..'' Mr. Archer: "I object to ,that remark. It implies a lie, and while I may be a fool I am not a liar." Mr. Luckie: "I will say incorrect" Mr. Archer said he did not intend to go into the merits or demerits of the scheme, but he wanted to know how the present unemployed were to be employed until the scheme cam© into effect. Mr. D. W. Cole-man (Gisborne) moved as an amendment that the conference's scheme should be forwarded to the Government for consideration along -with the TJnempioymsnt Committee's scheme. "INCREASE THE POPULATION." • Mr. E. Aldridge (Devonport) seconded the amendment. He believed that ■unemployment would be'solved by increasing the population of the country. Every person in the country had to be clothed, fed, and housed, and he claimed that the rapid increase m • the population of the Dominion, while it might cause a temporary hardship, would fiually solve the problem. He suggested thaj funds for unemployment should be^ provided from taxes on luxuries and then the people who could afford luxuries would supply the money instead of the working men being asked to supply it. After' Mr. Troup had replied, the amendment was lost on tho voices and the motion carried.