UNEMPLOYMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19272, 10 June 1926, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

LABOR PARTY'S STATEMENT The following statement relative to unemployment has been handed to the Press by Mr Walter Nash, national secretary of the New Zealand Labor Party;— Reports from all parts of the dominion state that large numbers of men and women are unemployed, and that acute 'distress is prevalent in many homes. The evidence available suggests that at least 5,000 adults are unemployed. Whilst the seasonal nature of many of our industries renders large numbers of men idle during the winter months, the situation has been aggravated by tl\e action of the Government, who has granted assisted passages to people from Great Britain. Out of SLOOO immigrants who arrived in the last fortnight of May at least 700 men and a largo number of women would be competitors for work. If they are working they have either—(a) displaced an equal number of workers who have been discharged, or (b) have obtained jobs which would have been available for those already unemployed in the dominion. DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. When a number of unemployed waited upon the Prime Minister to recilo the tragic nature of various cases, and requested that work should be provided at wages based on the minimum paid by the Arbitration Court, the Prune Minister (Mr Coates) replied:—“You will got work at the rate of wages wo decide, not what you decide. Work will be provided for necessitous cases, and you may take it or leave it, just as you like.” This does not mince matters — it sets out clearly the policy of the Government without waste of words; but when the Prime Minister proceeds to tell some of the newcomers that ho might pay their fares back again ho shows an unexampled and callous disregard for the feelings of the immigrants. They came hero because the propaganda in Great Britain had led them to believe that work was available in plenty, and that there were wonderful opportunities to make good. This propaganda was strengthened by the Government paying portion of their shipping passages. Propaganda and the Government immigration policy induced these people to break up homes in the Old Country—to bring their wives and children . 13,000 miles overseas, to a strange country; and because they express their disappointment at' the distress which they have experienced since their arrival the Prime Minister tells them it would he hotter if they went back whence they came. THE PROPAGANDA.

The nature of the propaganda which induced many to come is illustrated in an article published in the ‘Children’s Newspaper,’ dated February 6, 1926. It is headed “ Happy New Zealand.'--Croat Prosperity of the Little Dominion,—Saving a .Million Pounds a Week for Ten Years.—A Land to bo Happy In.” Then follows a column of matter ending up with the following paragraph ; —“Of course, the wealth of Now Zealand (the £2,000 which, on an average, every Now Zealander over twenty-ono Las’) is not all money. It is in property and money, some persons having much and some little; the beginners with little, the successful ones with more. The value is available for those who will work hard in the right way. The value is chiefly in the land, in sheep farming, dairying, cattle rearing, corn growing, fruit fanning. Plenty of land awaits newcomers who are willing to learn and then to work. The life is healthy and attractive. Many beginners will have to start as the original pioneers started, with Nature’s wildness; hut in perfeet safely, and with sure evidences of success around them. Only the spirit of adventure, willingness to Jlpnrn. and willingness to work are needed, and New Zealand would treble a happy population in ton years.” THE GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY. The responsibility of the present distress is essentially with the. Government. Two months ago the Prime Minister issued a warning of possible trouble ahead, hut apparently no steps were taken to either reduce the How of immigrants or to absorb them when they arrived in the dominion, LABOR PARTY’S POLICY. The Labor Party realises that there is ample room in the dominion for a. properly-organised system of immigration, but any system should bo preceded by—(3) a definite housing policy to relieve the existing shortage and provide for newcomers; (2) an official inquiry into trades and occupations to determine as far as possible what avenues of employment are open; (3) the selection in Great Britain should he in accord with the needs of the dominion. If _ the Government will attack the housing shortage and regulate the flow of immigration to accord with the needs of the dominion it can depend on the co-operation of the Labor Party; hut the present policy not only accentuates the housing shortage, but is a direct attack on the living conditions of the majority of New Zealand citizens.