FINDING EMPLOYMENT

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 September 1930, Page 5

FINDING EMPLOYMENT

avenues investigated

COMMITTEE’S REPORT

DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIES

(By Telegraph —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 9. The interim report of the special unemployment committee was submitted in the House of Representatives today by Mr J- T. Hogan, who said the committee had found its task a difficult one, more particularly m r ®f ar f to affording immediate relief: Much confidential information oir the financial and administrative side .of tne matter referred to the committee had been placed before it by the GovernmTn 'addition the committee had obtained valuable and useful reports on | the number of men employed on 1 nb- [ lie Works (including local bodies) since I April 1, 1930. and the possibilities ot further absorption of unemployed by the Public Works Department; the number of unemployed men registered and graded according to their capacities • the amount and conditions of subsidies for the relief of unemployment apuroved from April 1 to Augu 23 1930'; the employment of labour o> the State Forest Service; the oossituu- ~ ties of the employment of labour oilsand dune reclamation; the activities of the Lands and Survey Department with reference to unemployment; the possibilities of the immediate development of certain industries. _ , A number of private individuals had submitted ideas‘for helping to absorb the unemployed, and where technical opinion was required these ideas had been referred to experts for a report. Included in this list was a proposal for the .conversion of scrap or waste copper into sheet copper. At present rfcy appeared that this copper went out ot New Zealand for conversion at a value of about 8s a hundredweight, and on coming back it was retailed at about £ll a hundredweight. RECLAIMING SAND DUNES. -

The committee bad also asked, for the valuation of land —3063 acres planted by the State Forest Service at the mouth of the Rangiiikei River—with a view to determining the com-*, mercial .possibilities -<rf - .reclaiming sand., dunes for grazing purposes. At .its next meeting the committee would be supplied with information on the question of the development of the shale I oil industry, and the Department of Industries and Commerce had been asked to furnish a report, on second-, ary industries suitable for assistance' - or development. Some consideration bad been, devoted to the question of coal carbonisation, and the committee had been furnished with much information by ._ the. Under-Secretary for Mines, who had attended personally . and . gßen the . committee" very interesting details - concerning suitable localities, and the value of the industry to New Zealand and the practically certain displacement of imported coals! As a result, of the information gained the committee had passed a resolution that the Government be urged to- take whatever action was necessary. to encourage the establishment of _ additional coal carbonisation plants in New Zealand. “The committee being of opinion that local unemployment committees,; more particularly in populous centres, would help the work of this committee, and later of the unemployment board, the Minister of Labour is communicating with the -local authorities regarding the employment of those (unemployed who apply for sustenance, so that there will be no delay after, the TJnemployement Bill is passed, continued Mr Hogan. “Since the committee was appointed 500 unemployed men have been' placed by the Government on public, works _ and a further 200 will be sent but in a few dayS 'RELIEF RATES OF. PAY.

.-: Mr Coates -asked the -committee ~ whether it would be prepared to indicate whether the Government’s policyin paying .standard rates of wages on relief works had had the effect of making the position more acute or not-. He also suggested the committee should inquire into the question of employment of boys in the initial stages on farms, even, to the extent of assisting farmers to pay the wages of ,the boys, and into the question of developing the flax industry, which had occupied a high position in the past. Mr M. J. Savage said he hoped the committee would not waste any time in recommending a reduction in wages. The committee was to lie congratulated on the recommendation it had made, and it was essential in view of the present desperate conditions that tlie Government should move at once. ■ Mr J'. S. Fletcher urged that gas companies should be recommended to use New Zealand in preference to Australian coal. Importations of. coal from Australia had been increasing. ■ New Zealand had wonderful resources that were not being exploited. He could not see why 4 it was not possible to produce benzine by the hydrogenation of coal in New Zealand. Mr IV. J. Poison stressed the necessity for economic readjustment. He said 14s a day on relief works for single men was not a fair thing at'"the oresent time. If it was not too much it must necessarily follow: that the same amount was insufficient for married men with dependents. Mr A. Harris asked the committee to consider the effect, of—restrictive. _ labour laws on unemployment. He

complained that such laws in many instances hampered attempts to earn . a living. . Mr D. G. Sullivan emphasised the importance of till e i lives ti gift ion of the unemployment problem being conducted tli roughly and immediately. He urged that the nnemnlbyment hoard when constituted should meet all- day and every day until the position had improved.

Mr R. Semple refuted the suggestion that the labour laws were a deterrent to cmplovment. He pointed out that hoys could not get work after they had been admitted and trained in various trades. - After a number of other members had spoken Mr Hogan replied, stating that among various, other questions which would he consideredby the committee were the possible improvement of farms and* whether assistance could usefully lie given to farmers by wayof loan or subsidy. ' The report was tabled.