A BIG TASK

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 78, 1 April 1936, Page 7

A BIG TASK

GOVERNMENT'S PLEDGE

FULL CONFIDENCE EXPRESSED

Emphasising the big responsibility with which the Government was confronted, Mr. W. T. Anderton (Government, Eden), in seconding the motion for the Address in Reply in the House of Representatives last night, commended it for what it had already done, and expressed complete confidence in its ability to carry out its pledge to improve economic and social conditions within the Dominion. Mr. Anderton said that the change they saw in the composition of the House represented a change in ideals and a desire for something different from what the country had in the past to put up with. "This country is.expecting something different from;what it had before," he said, "and 'when you look round the faces in this House you will be- assured that it will obtain something different. The Dominion had reached a position when men and women were unable to maintain, that standard of living which a Christian community expects them to maintain. It was faced with an unemployment problem that had defeated previous Governments, and a new Government has been sent here to do what previous Governments had failed to - do. The duty that devolves upon this Government is to rid the country of that army of unemployed, that exists even now. I want to congratulate the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong).-od the manner in which he tackled the problem when he came into office just before Christmas, and on behalf of the unemployed men v and women I thank him for his effort in giving, to them some measure of relief. I see that there are still 39,600 unemployed men in this country. I cannot find any statistical evidence that there are many women unemployed, but in my| experience on local bodies in a large i city I have come in contact with many hundreds of women who are in a parlous condition and subject to greater destitution than many of the 39,000 men. It is this Government's duty: to place these men and women into useful employment and provide them with a standard of living that would give back to them the character of manliness and womanliness that they have Most during the last few years." BOLD PUBLIC WORKS POLICY. Mr. Anderton congratulated the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) for his bold policy in providing public works of useful and productive nature whereby he could take from the unemployed army men who were capable of doing useful Work, and providing them with a decent standard of living worthy of a Labour Administration. He mentioned how men who took pride in craftsmanship and ability had not been able to express themselves under previous Governments. Something had to be done as quickly as possible to save the morale of the people of this Dominion. Members could not deny that this country was a C 3 country, and the duty of the Government was to lift it to an Al country. In the pages of Hansard between 1912' and 1935 there had been written a history that had caused these conditions, and it remained as a monument to the lamentable inoompetericy .. of ... previous Governments to' govern New Zealand for the people of New Zealand. Mr. Anderton expressed the hope that the Minister of Pensions would not delay in bringing before the House legislative measures for the relief of old-age pensioners. "There is anbther matter that I would like-to bring to-the-notice of the House," he continued, "and that is the housing problem: . There is today a shortage' of houses in many of the main centres, and in some : of. the smaller places more houses are needed. I hope- that the Minister of . Public Works and the Minister of Labour will look into the question of developing the housing scheme and provide homes of a modern kind. I.believe-that-for the workers we should build; homes of the greatest beauty and utility, thereby giving craftsmen the opportunity to demonstrate their skill and giving them something of which to be'proud." He hoped that the house ; agents' "ramp" of the bocjr period would not be repeated, and that th/s speculative builder who came in with the building of State Advances homes in the. past would be stopped. He emphasised the desirability of the use of direct labour. ■ .. . .. .-,.■' SECONDARY INDUSTRIES. Mr. Anderton said he realised that it was practically impossible for the Minister of Public Works to find work for every individual, and that it was impossible for the primary producer to find work for many of them, but there were secondary industries _ that were capable of stimulation, and' expansion. He said that the Dominion would.have to be made more: self-supporting in: the matter of secondary industries,'and not subjected so,much to the influence of outside industries. - In this connection he deplored' the drop' in 'population', which was a matter .the Government would have to look into."'-. In' Aucfc 4 land the birth-rate had dropped by.a third. This state of-affairs could not be allowed to go on. -The;reason was the difficulty people, had in feeding extra mouths. What was the good of bringing children into the world to starve? they said. "I am satisfied that when the Government implements its policy, the ■ natural result will be an increase in all production," declared Mr. Anderton. ' ' ■'■■■> He went on to stress the need-.for the return of the powers; of ; the; Arbitration Court, and expressed his .conviction that the 40-hour week would help to solve the Government's, problem. He thought, too, that a worker in an industry should'be encouraged to take a greater part in the running of that particular'industry. ;"I believe that if a man were given the opportunity of expressing himself intellectually in his work the ;result would be far greater- than we have had in the' past,"'he said. • ■