FINDING WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 112, 7 November 1935, Page 22

FINDING WORK

GOVERNMENT'S PLANS

SUCCESS OF POLICY,

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) PAPARQA, November 6, The policy of the Government, to promote employment through the encouragement of . private industry, supported by some expansion pf/pub : lie works according to carefullydevised programmes, was discussed by the Minister of Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) at meetings in the Kaipara electorate today. Dealing with problems of public works, Mr. Coates said that even during the worst, years of depression there had never been a complete cessation of activities. However, in a time of acute depression, a prudent Government was forced to take into account certain factors limiting the extent to which loan expenditure could be pushed with safety. The Government now felt the time appropriate for a cautious expansion of public works activities, and provision was made in the Estimates for the current year. He had already made a pronouncement relating to the Government's public works programme and the scheme of works to be undertaken in co-operation with the Unemployment Board. He wished to emphasise that the expenditure of loan money would be confined to such amounts as would be justified by the financial returns. The main attack on the unemployment problem must be in the direction of encouraging private employment. The Dominion's employable population was increasing, and there was a tendency that labour be displaced by the increased use of machinery and more economical methods of production. '"The reconstruction measures of the Government have been directed towards stabilising on a sound basis on which private enterprise can expand," said Mr. Coates. "The considerable improvement within the last two years shows that the policy has succeeded, while the success of the Government balancing its Budget has re^ moved the factor of uncertainty. It ensures that taxation will not .be increased and offers the prospect of early tax reductions.

'"For some time the Government has been working on proposals which should give positive encouragement to the development of private industry, and measures are already under consideration providing a basis for the procedure for co-operation between the Government and interested groups. In addition, specific schemes of industrial development are actually being discussed. II the negotiations relating to one particular project can be successfully concluded, permanent employment will be provided for 1700 men. The housing policy of the Government will also provide a strong impetus to employment in the building traucs, while surveys into the natural resources of the country will provide knowledge of inestimable value to those with capital to invest."-