SYDNEY’S UNEMPLOYED

Evening Star, Issue 16351, 17 February 1917, Page 12

SYDNEY’S UNEMPLOYED

' 8,000 OUT OF WORK. ‘ PUBLIC BORROWING CURTAILED. An interesting statement on the financial position was made by Mr .Holman (Premier d* New South Wales) on February 6, iu Sydney, in reply to a deputation that waited Dn him in connection with the unemployment problem. Mr Holman detailed some of the difficulties which had beset the Government /during the last two years of war, and said that the prospects- of a lengthy struggle had the Imperial Government to shut down on all loans, except for the purpose of helping to win the war. The deputation, who were from the Labor Council of New South Wales, were introduced by Mr E. J. Kavanagh, M.L.C., sec•etary of that body. Mr Kavanagh said ;hat the Trades and Labor Council had re:ently appointed a special committee to go mto the whole matter of unemployment. The result showed that between 7,000 and 8,000 men wore unemployed. ■ Returns from the country had yet to come in. It was desired that the Government should try to Obtain money sufficient to enable it to carrv »n public works on the same lines as the previous Government. • he .Premier, in reply, said he fully realised the importance of the mission on which they had come to him, and he did not feel disposed to bandy words or argue with them. It was a very great misfortune that so much unemployment should exist, and the Government would take whatever steps were possible to minimise hardship. As a matter of fact, something had already been done during the past fortnight. At the same time he asked them to remember’ that the country was now suffering a calamity which, but for the most strenuous exertions on the part of the Government, would have been experienced two years ago He had been personally engaged in trying to keep public works going and men in normal employment right through the abnormal war period, and only by the most exhaustive efforts had he succeeded in doing it until very recently. In other States the misfortune had fallen rery much earlier, and large numbers of men who were cast out of work had come to New South Wales and been absorbed. The Government had been criticised in certain quarters for what was considered an injudicious policy in time of war—that is, for trying to raise loan moneys abroad at necessarily enhanced rates of interest. The Norton Griffiths agreement, too, had been criticised; but it had had the effect of securing to the Government eadi year a :crtain minimum sum—£4,ooo,ooo in the first

y6ar, and £2,000,000, in the second. They had had that £6,000,000, and it had all been spent on finding employment. Some of it had been spent through the Department of Public Works, but trie whole sum raised had been spent on public works. The stoppage of the city railways was brought about by reason of a shortage of steel; but the money for that work had been spent elsewhere. There had been no failure to use the money, and no effort had been spared by the Treasurer to keep men going on development works. Recently, however, the entire situation changed. The Imperial Government, faced with the need for Imperial loans, and finding it could not count on an eaily cessation of the war, had placed an embargo on borrowers, except for war purposes.

‘Up till six months ago,” the Premier continued, “ wo had the full consent of the Imperial Government to continue along the old lines, and we then made arrangements to carry on until January. I may say, and it is important that it should be realised, that every farthing of expenditure by this Go\ eminent, right up to Inst Christmas, was approved by Mr M’Kenna (Chancellor of the Exchequer) and endorsed by the British Gov eminent. But at Christmas we were told that borrowing could only be sanctioned on a very limited scale, and even then there could not be any guarantee that our requirements would be met. That intimation really came in October, but its effect began to be felt at Christmas time, when we were called on to reduce our scale of operations. Having been accustomed to spend at the rate of £8,000,000, we can now only spend £5,000,000, and we shall be amongst the favored if we can get it. Wc have to work to that amount without even being able to guarantee that we will get it.” Mr Holman proceeded to outline the Government's suggestions. It was proposed, he said, to give preference in all cases to men with families or dependents, and to organise thoroughly the Labor Exchanges throughout the "State, so that men desiring to try their luck in the country, would be able to seek and secure advice. That would overcome the difficulty mentioned by Aid. Burke. Preference would also be given to local men. He disliked having to distinguish between men of the different States, but at a time like this it had to he done. “ As soon and as fast as the financial situation eases,” ho went on, “we shall do something to improve conditions; but it would be useless to hold out illusory hopes at the present time. If we were given an undertaking by the unions that they would accept a shortened week, such as we had during . Ihe Broken Hill crisis, when the mines closed down and work had to be found for those thrown out of employment, we would be prepared to

adopt such a scheme with a view to a more equitable distribution of the work available. But without the co-operation of the men themselves it would be useless to try to carry such a proposition into effect.”