"SOCIAL TRAGEDY"

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 92, 16 October 1934, Page 10

"SOCIAL TRAGEDY"

UNEMPLOYMENT EVIL

BAPTIST RESOLUTION

The Baptist Assembly at today's session unanimously, adopted the following motion in regard to unemployment moved by the Rev. W. S. Rol-

lings:—

"This assembly of the Baptist Union of New Zealand expresses sympathy with till who aro suffering from the dire evil of unemployment, with its resultant social, domestic, and moral tragedy. It affirms its conviction that the precarious conditions of life for multitudes in New Zealand violate the will of a beneficent Creator, who sends tho rains and the fruitful seasons to fill men's hearts with food and gladness. Also, that these conditions, involve a denial of national and human brotherhood.

"It sympathises with the Government in the stupendous difficulties which lie in the way of the settlement of the unemployment problem. But it respectfully urges on the Government its view that the continuance of unemployment on a large scale will become an element of social peril in the life of the community. That mass production and the organisation of industry are likely to make it impossible to absorb in the ranks of productive labour tho majority of tho men now unemployed, and that tho situation be responsibly faced by the Government itself as a task of supreme urgency, and not relegated to the Unemployment Board, with a view to bolder action necessary to meet tho new conditions of industry. "Further, tho assembly urges the Government, as a basic moral duty, to make such provision for tho unemployed as will secure to them and their families the minimum of necessity in regard to food, clothing, and shelter, and that, if necessary, the twopence in tho pound reduction of tho unemployment tax on wages should bo restored. • r

"The assembly further pleads for tho urgent need of« making provision for the needs of unemployed women, girls, and youths, whose morale is in danger of being seriously impaired. "The assembly earnestly commends the claims of the needy to the personal and collective sympathy and loving kindness of all the churches."