UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

Evening Post, Issue 113, 10 November 1930, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT TAX

' (To the Editor.) Sir—Common-sense dictates i that, the strong light of constructive, criticism should be directed towards the lenWj the unemployment tax Adimttedly^ the fortunate may reasonably be called upon to assist the unfortunate who have fallen by the wayside in an endeavour to earn, sufficientto keep together body and sou.and retain their self-respect. Some of the fallen are not the victims of adverse trade conditions only. They, are victims of the pernicious system of employing women in positions which should be held by men. In the ranks of, the unemployed and m the ranks of the unskilled manual works are many male ex-clerical employees who have been displaced by women at one-third of a living salary for a married man For a number of years I have watched the steady increase of the females employed m offices, not as the result of an,increase of staffs but an attempt to displace the male clerk. The displaced clerk drifts mto the ranks of the unemployed or turns to unskilled manual work in order to live. This system makes misfits of useful men. . ■ It follows, as a matter of logic, that it female clerks were not employed they would, in the vast majority of cases, perform their national function and national duty-marry-to the consequent advantage of the Dominion and Empire—the ranks ot unskilled workers and unemployed would be lessened, and men entitled to do unskilled manual work would have greater opportunities of employment, buiely tnis issoundlogic-1 National duty. (To the Editor.) Sir-I am not complaining about the unemployment tax, but I do think that it is unfair when young men like myself have to pay the same amount-as the large business men with salaries five or ten times the wage we receive. A great number of young men only receive a small salary, and out of that have to pay 30s, while girls, some of whom get a much larger wage, are exempt from it.—l am, etc., . PULLTHROUGH.