UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1930, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

DEBATE IN COMMONS

[special to “stab.”]

WELLINGTON, July 23.

Though the real sting was taken out. of the debate last Friday, the second reading of the Unemployment Bill was continued in the House at to-day’s sitting, but few new ideas were advanced concerning the measure.

Mr Can’ made a plea foi' stimulation of the sawmilling industry, pointing to the decline in recent years in the number of workers engaged. It was, he said, essential to the prosperity of the Dominion that assistance be given to the mills. Mr Hogan blamed the Reform Party and other past Governments for excessive'immigration, and ascribed to that the present large unemployment in the country. People had been landed here at the rate of 257 a week. Was it any wonder there was unemployment? He complimented the Government on at last doing something to meet, the problem, and counselled them to adopt an energetic land settlement policy. The levy to the unemployment fund should be subsidised pound for pound from the consolidated fund. He opposed the idea of a graduated levy, which would justify the claims for a graduated sustenance gGa,le Mr Hall remarked that by introducing such a measure, the Government had confessed its own inability to deal with unemployment, and that unemployment would always be present. That was a mistaken outlook. They would not get far, if they said it was impossible to do away with unemployment. The present Government had made relief works too attractive, especially for single men. There was a difficulty in inducing the latter to remain in farm work if there were relief works in the vicinity. The Bill was an honest attempt to deal with the problem, but methods were open to criticism. It was a fatal mistake to make sustenance one of the main functions of the Board. Mi- Parry agreed that immigration was a big factor in causing the trouble, but the main cause was the capitalistic system. He expressed strong dissatisfaction with the present bill, which was humiliating to him, and to workers. If the State failed to provide work for those seeking it, the dependents of men were entitled to sustenance. The workers did not want sustenance. A grave error had been committed in excluding women from the Bill. The flat tax could not be defended by any progressive mind, and was absolutely wrong in principle. It called on the workers to bear the biggest burden of the unemployment problem. Mr Hawke thought the constitution of the Board well designed and that the Bill would give a great impetus to work. He stressed the need for assisting small farmers. So far, the classification of workers on relief works had been faulty and this would require the attention of the Board, the bill was an honest attempt to grapple with the problem. It was not. an ideal measure, but provided a. foundation for a cure. Mr Armstrong said there WAS NOT ENOUGH WORK for all those seeking it, and those unable to find a job should not be permitted to suffer. Provision was made by insurance against illness and accident, and there was no logical reason why such provision should not be made for unemployment. He advocated an active land development scheme, as a solution of the problem. The bill provided the first instance he knew of in which workers were re.quired to provide 85 per cent of the tax. They did not object, to contribute 'their fair share, but the amount asked was exorbitant. The taxation should be levied according to ability to pay. Mr Hamilton contested the idea that immigration had been responsible for unemployment, which was a. social responsibility, and Labour should therefore be prepared to accept the flat tax proposal. Mr Savage: It is unsocial. Mr Hamilton argued that Labour was responsible for some of the present restrictions, which hampered the ability of people to give employment. There were hundreds of restrictions in the Arbitration Court awards, which made it impossible to employ the full quota in industry. Many of the Laborer laws had been forced on the Statue book by Labour organisations. Mr Barnard said the Reform party ; was responsible for the position the working man found himself in to-day. The present system of unemployment relief was expensive, and- out of date, and it was high time they adopted some other. He suggested that the Government should provide for a

SLIDING SCALE OF LEVIES Mr Wright defended the Reform Party, which he said had done much to assist the labouring class. There was much talk of organisation of work, but that could only be accomplished under a dictatorship, which the people of New Zealand would not stand for. If a. man did not work, he should not be paid, and he was absolutely opposed to the payment, of sustenance.

Mr Sullivan said the Reform Party had grossly misrepresented the prospects which awaited people in New Zealand. He did not regard the bill as a good one, but welcomed it. as it brought the whole question of. unemployment before the House.

Mr Polson said he was not satisfied with the whole bill, but it was scarcely to be expected that a house of 80 members would be in complete agreement.

4000 FOUND WORK.

WELLINGTON, July 23

What steps does the Government propose to take to meet the unemployment situation, asked Mr Fletcher in the House this afternoon. “The Cabinet Unemployment. Committee has the question well in hand,’’ replied the Minister of Lands (Mr Ransom) amidst Opposition laughter.

Mr Fletcher: AVell out of hand. Mr Ransom: I can assure the House that the position is well in hand. Arrangements were being made, he said, in all principal centres to place men in employment, not that they were able to offer employment to all who were out of work, but urgent cases were being dealt with very generously. Arrangements were being made for placing men on development work, and in sonic cases men were being drafted to that class of work, while provision was also being made for other drafts later on. Careful sur-

veys were being made before men were placed. Mr Stewart: How many unemployed are on the pay roll at present? Ransom: I think about 4000. There are more men employed in relief works now than for many years past. Mr Kyle: And more out. Minister: No. I won’t say that.