UNEMPLOYMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 71, 7 March 1930, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT

PROVISION OF RELIEF PROPOSED INSURANCE SCHEME. GOVERNMENT URGED TO ACCEPT. • Invercargill, Mar. 6, The question of provision for alleviating unemployment was ono of the matters dealt with at the conference of the Municipal Association today. Considerable discussion took place, and it was finally decided to submit a scheme t.o the Government. Mr. R. Coulter (To Arolia) said ho considered it the duty of the conference to deal with the problem of unemployment. He moved that a special committee should be set up to investigate the matter. The Rev. J. K. Archer (Christchurch) seconded the motion, and said that unemployment in Nev Zealand was not qnly a folly but a crU<e. Sir Charles Fergusson had suggested a conference, but no one was making a move to earry out the suggestion. Kiunicipalitics were bearing the burden of supporting unemployed, and if there was money to do that there was money to employ men. Mr. G. A. Troup (Wellington) said a scheme had been devised two years ago and had been sent to the Government as an unemployed insurance scheme. This scheme had provided for a fund which would have met any needs arising out of unemployment. The Rt. Hon. G. Coates had refused the scheme because it would cost the Government a quarter of the total capital, but the speaker claimed that more than that was being spent to relievo unemployment. Continuing, Mr. J'roup attacked the scheme for unemployment insurance recently published. Ho held that the suggestion that local bodies should bo taxed was wrong in principle. The only way to meet the difficulty was to set up a find as had been suggested two years ago and apply it to provide work, and not as a dole.

COMMITTEE’S SCHEME OPPOSED.

He moved: “That this conference of local bodies object to the proposal put forward by the special committee set up by the Government as set forth in the daily press on the , following grounds:— 1. In their opinion work and not a dole should be provided. 2. That the principle of taxing municipalities in the manner provided is unfair and unsound. 3. That New Zealand is not able to stand an additional taxation of £1,000,000 annually. “This conference recommends the Government to adopt the unemployment insurance scheme prepared by this association, the payment for which shall bo one penny in the pound on all wages, to be paid by the following contributors: —(a) 'The employee, (b) the employer, (c) the Government, (<1) local bodies. Of the contributions the Government shall expend one quarter of the amount on the employment of single men and the local bodies shall expend threequarters of the amount on the employment of married men.’’ Councillor Bloodworth (Auckland) objected to the remit on the grounds that it might provide the Government with an excuse for holding up consideration of the report brought down by its own committee. He did not think any scheme of land settlement would meet the difficulty, for, he said, during the last three years the population of New Zealand had increased by three per cent., while horsepower for manufacturing machinery had increased 200,000. Mr. D. D. Sullivan, M.P. (Christchurch) said ho objected to the word “dole.” If a man insured his house and it was burnt down the insurance was not regarded as a dole. If a man insured himself against unemployment he had a right, to insurance if ho became genuinely unemployed. Ho suggested that the conference's scheme should be split to the Government for consideration along with the unemployment committee’s scheme.

Mr. M. F. Luckic said he held that the scheme outlined by Mr. Troup was vastly superior to the one brought down by the Government’s committee. The beauty of the conference’s scheme was that the money provided by municipalities would be spent iu municipalities ou useful work. • MARKET FOR GOODS. Mr. Bloodworth said that unemployment ivas not an evil. If it was some of the men they held in highest esteem had been suffering from it for years. The problem they had to face was that of providing a market for goods produced by the employed and more men would soon be employed. He held that “the scheme of making men provide their own wages” was a vicious one.

Mr. Luckie: They would only pro vide one quarter.

The Rev. J. K. Archer asked how men who arc at present unemployed and so unable to contribute to the scheme would get work.

Mr. Troup: They would be employed. Mr. Archer: According to the scheme they could not be employed. Mr. Luckie: That’s not true. Mr. Archer: I object to that remark. It implies a lie, and while I may be a fool I am not a liar. Mr. Luckie: I will say “incorrect.” Mr. Archer said ho did not intend to go into the merits or demerits of the scheme, but ho wanted to know how the present unemployed were to bo employed until the scheme came inf > effect. Mr. D. W. Coleman (Gisborne) moved as an amendment: “That the conference’s scheme be forwarded to the Government for consideration along with the unemployment committee’s scheme.” Mr. E. Aldridge (Dcvonport) seconded the amendment. Ho believed that unemployment would be solved by increasing the population of the country. Every person in the country had to be clothed, fed and housed, and he claimed that a rapid increase in the population of the Dominion, while it might cause temporary hardship, would finally solve the problem. He suggested that funds for unemployment should be provided from taxes on luxuries and then people who could afford luxuries would supply the money, instead of working men being asked to supply it. After Mr. Troup had replied the amendment, was lost on the voices and the motion was carried.