NEWFOUNDLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 June 1935, Page 7

NEWFOUNDLAND

A PROGRESS REPORT [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS. ] RUGBY, May 30. A report by the Commission of Government, on the unemployment situation in Newfoundland, furnished by the Governor, Sir Murray Anderson, at the request of the Dominions Secretary, Mr. Thomas, has been issued as a White Paper. The Commission of Government took over early in 1934, and the report shows a substantial improvement in conditions since then has been made in several ways. The report describes ■two kinds of unemployment in Newfoundland, normal unemployment of the fishing population during the off season, and unemployment among industrial population largely confined to St. Johns.

It details the practicable measures taken to remedy the situation. Last year, the earnings of fishermen increased by over one million dollars. To overcome the industrial unemployment, a policy of land settlement was being tried, and in the meantime, the organisation of relief had been improvised and assistance increased. Commenting on the report, “The Times” points out that the general improvement is reflected not only in the increase of revenue in spite of tariff! reductions on articles of common necessity, but in an all round increase of business and industrial activity, but conditions on the island were so deplorable when the Commission took over responsibility, that progress must necessarily be slow.