The Hawera Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1933. LABOUR’S UNEMPLOYMENT NOSTRUM.

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 31 October 1933, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1933. LABOUR’S UNEMPLOYMENT NOSTRUM.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Hawera Manaia, Kaupokonui, titakeho Oeo, Pihama, Opunake, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna. Te Kiri, Mahce, Lowgarth, Manutalii, Kakaramea, Alton, Hurley vflle, Patea, Whenuakui-a, Waverley. Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Mpremere, Fraser Road and Ararata.

Though .the Labour Party ha's been making the unemployment problem a political stalking horse throughout the slump period, it still 'dings to its original idea that the “way out” is to give the unemployed standard wages and conditions. It is remarkable that this should be so, for the Labour Party knows as well as anybody that unemployed relief is mo, longer a ‘ * class” responsibility, but is a burden whiieh falls on -every wage-earner as well as uuon those enjoying income from other sources. It is difficult to appreciate the appeal which Labour imagines to lie in its promise of standard conditions so far as the taxpaying public is concerned. It is, of course, am easy way oif gaining cheap credit in the eyes of the unemployed themiselves, but Vast as that army is, the 70,000 registered unemployed are -but a small proportion of rth.e fiom-munlty. Apparently tUere is a failure on the part of the Official Opposition to appreciate the fact that those workers who, are in employment, and -consequently .pay a wage-tax, have had sufficient experience of s’lumtp com* dition-s and- unemployment -relief methods to be able to ask -themselves “where will the money for standard wages come from”—and 1 , moreover, to be able to supply the answer.. Further, even the least po-liticaHy-eomscious section of the community is sufficiently awakened now to realise -that if relief work conditions are placed on all fours with the conditions of ordinary productive labour the -necessity for relief, will always exist in this country. Al- j ready, even on the meagre provision's made for relief, this country has a section of its population which is satisfied to -remain under relief .conditions so long as they are available. That doeis not apply to the majority of the unemployed’, but unemployed men themselves iu every 'community will admit that among their number are men who will never -look further afield for wlork as long as it is l handed out to them, with its accompanying add in the form of gifts from the various voluntary fund's promoted by the citizens. If that is the .case to-day, it is certain that the position' would be accenuaed under a more gemefous system, as proposed by Labour when it advocates standard wages and conditions. When Labour urges banking reforms, monetary and credit reforms, the nationalisation of various classes of industrial enterprise, and so on, it can be given- credit for making some sort of attempt to evolve a now social and economic order. Everybody may not, and does not, agree with it, but the average man will g-ive the party credit for bon'esty of purpose. But when the Official Opposition keeps the House up all night to -reiterate its ancient bat-tl'e'-cry of “dtan'da-rd conditions” it is obviously merely beating the big drum, with a view to the next election. Incidentally, it is “bad psychology’ from the party’s point of view, for it pre-supposes on -the -part of the wagetaxpayers a -depth of ignorance which is far from complimentary to the general body of -electors.