NO MAGIC PHYSIC

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1931, Page 4

NO MAGIC PHYSIC

VARIED REMEDIES

BASIC POINTS

;*. "The situation to-day," he. continued "is a challenge to our capacity to set.things right. It is a challenge to our traditional way of doing things —a, challenge to bur traditional ways *of thinking.- I approach the question without any preconceived theories of a ■general nature. Ido not profess to have any magic physic, nor do I proress to say the last word on the way in .which-the question has to be dealt with in1 Now Zealand. I expect criticism and'l invite it, "because I am convinced- the remedies to bo aplied will be as varied as are the industries and ; districts of New Zealand.

"It seems to mo basic that (1) We should view our'problem as one of simply relieving unemployment, of making work for work's sake, than as one of enabling production to proceed; ' ' /.

(2); New Zealand has reached a t stage': in its- development when its •■>' people must depend moi;e on the ■rfrnita of industry and less on development work —national or local — put of loan money. (3y We have unemployment be'- ■'■' eanse on present price levels it is -■ uneconomic to employ labour under ' .-the-conditions on which it must be :■■ employed. Unemployment will only ~ be solved .when the wheels of indusV try revolve of their own volition and ■ again ,employ- labour, to the fullest extent.

(4) Primary production from our farm lands is the keystone of the Dominion's economic structure. It i« essential that the unemployed labour should be directed from road and unproductive work to productive work on the. farms. This-is the policy which the Unemployment Board by every possible means intends to pursue. So far as men engaged on, road work are concerned, the ideal must bo to. move them "over the. fence" on to the land. (5). Important as farming is, we cannot hope to absorb in it the 50,000' men now unemployed. After 90 yeftis'- development, New Zealand h«w 80,(100 farmers; it would bo vain to expect now to place 50,000 addi; tional men on the land. • Consequently, we must look also to other productive work for the absorption of the unemployed. It may bo held necessary to take action to relax restrictions now militating against the employment of labour on _an .economic basis. This, I recognise, raises' controversial issues bearing upon labour legislation; and I shall not deal with the matter here. (6) It is also to bo recognised, I thjnkirthat'in; expending moneys on productive work, we must take into accouat—not the oqual allocation of funds'-as amongst districts—but those purposes and localities which promise to be most economically justifiable., ..,■-..