STEP TOWARDS RECOVERY

Evening Star, Issue 21709, 2 May 1934, Page 8

STEP TOWARDS RECOVERY

INCREASE THE PURCHASING POWER PRESENT RELIEF SYSTEM UNSATISFACTORY AUCKLAND COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS . (Pie United Press ■ Association.! AUCKLAND, May 2. After nearly five months’ considers* tion the committee set up by a conference of local bodies and others interested lias submitted its report. . It declares that the present system of relief is not satisfactory, and not in the community’s best interests, and recommends that the unemployed, pending reabsorption into industry, should ba granted sustenance payment on the scale laid down in the original Act of 1930, and throughout the whole period of their unemployment sjteps should be taken to restore trade union conditions, and constructive work should be carried out at standard rates of pay. As it seems impossible to find employment for all workers in land development, a place must be found for a great number of the unemployed in secondary industries. Full advantage should be taken of the most modern machinery in all industries, and the hours of labour adjusted in accordance with the amount of labour displaced by machines. An economic land settlement policy, should be inaugurated on lines of village and group settlement, and new industries established to absorb boys and girls leaving school. The committee declares that the first step toward recovery is to increase the purchasing power, which can- be done by finding useful and profitable work in primary and secondary _ industries, and recommends an immediate economic survey to determine what are the possibilities of maintaining or improving the standard .of living for the people of New Zealand, apart from the exchange of produce overseas. To give immediate relief locally the committee recommends tile issue of municipal credit notes to the amount of 25 per cent, of the ordinary expenditure of municipal authorities. It strongly urges that Parliament should hold a special session, or devote a greater part of next session to unemployment.