EMPLOYMENT BILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 110, 22 April 1936, Page 9

EMPLOYMENT BILL

Second Reading Debate in the House PROBLEM NOT SOLVED By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, April 21. The House of Representatives re sumed the second reading debate on the Employment Promotion Bill this afternoon. Mr. J. Hargest (Nat.) said that the present Government members said the past Government had done nothing to overcome the position, and he outlined what had been done, such as building schemes, prospecting schemes, and land settlement. Apart from the abolition of the board, the Government was carrying out the same policy as was carried out during the last five or six years.

The Minister of Labour had announced an increase in payments to relief workers, but that was not solving the problem. Nothing that had been done so far would reduce unemployment, and until manufacturers, employers and fanners had confidence, they would not solve it.

Mr W. M. C. Denham (Govt.) claim ed that the Unemployment Board was not free from political influence, mid the board was set up to act as a buffer between the people and the Government. The board had been in existence for six years, and had not solved the unemployment problem, ft had proved an absolute failure. He contended that the shortening of hours of work would have a healthy effect on unemployment. He said that leisure was being forced upon the people, and contended that 30 hours work was sufficient in a country that could utilise its natural resources. RESULT OF A SYSTEM. Mr J. Thorn (Govt.) said that Hie Government . had been in office only three or four months, yet the Oppose tion charged it with having failed to solve the unemployment problem. The last Government was in office for four years, but succeeded only in converting a difficult position into one of tragedy and despair. Unemployment was the result of a system, and there was no pos sibility of a solution while that system existed.

Mr K. L. Holyoake (Nat.) suggested that the services of members of the Unemployment Board should be retained. They were men of valuable experience, and that experience could be turned to good account by the Govern ment.

Mr C. M. Williams (Govt.) said that tho Government’s proposals were not to produce a nation of navvies, but desired to train persons in all walks of life to provide for tho needs of the community. The machine age, especi ally the motor-car, had revolutionised employment. Mechanisation should not be opposed, but availed of to the fullest extent. Men must not be encouraged to remain parasites, but must be taught to become useful citizens and to become producers and consumers. Ablebodied persons who would not work must be classed us mentally infirm. The Labour Party aimed to establish a new social order where labour, and labour only, would be the sole type of wealth. NEW ZEALAND MARKET. Mr S. G. Holland (Nat.) urged that the New Zealand market should be reserved to the New Zealand manufacturer, provided that he could satisfy a reasonable demand for his goods, that they were of a type and quality re quired, and that the price should com pare favourably with similar goods pro duced in other parts of tho world. There were many businesses in New Zealand which could bo extended to promote employment.

Mr A. G. Hultquist (Govt.) said that the policy of increasing payments to those on relief would not increase unemployment, but the policy followed by tho last Government of cutting wages down was responsible for making a greater number of unemployed. He looked forward to tho future with a great deal of hope, and if the Opposition gave the co-operation its members said they would, then there would be very little difficulty in re-establishing the unemployed of the Dominion into productive work. Mr. H. S. 8. Kyle (National) replying to the allegations by Labour speakers that wage cuts had aggravated unemployment, said that before wage cuts were made there were 47,000 unemployed' in New Zealand. Mr W. T. Anderton (Govt.) said that the actions of the last Government had made conditions to-day chaotic, and the present Government had to proceed along sane, sound lines to repair the damage that had been done. CLEVER WINDOW-DRESSING. Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Nat.) charaterised the Bill as nothing more than clever window-dressing. The Government had been in office five months, and there had been no appreciable reduction in unemployment. Laboui speakers had claimed the Bill as their own, yet the Minister’s explanatory memorandum stated it was a consolida iron of existing Acts. He believed the Minister of Labour had worked honestly and sincerely to conquer unemployment, but he had failed, as others had failed, and would fail until world con ditions improved. Ho contended that it New Zealand were governed in a sane manner it would be only a year or two till the country was well on the way to prosperity.

Mr. F. Schramm (Govt.) said that the Labour Party was not out to in crease taxation, but provision was left, us in the existing law. Even if the Bill were thrown out the position would be unaltered. He hoped the Bill, which was bad from start to finish, would be abolished within 12 months and Labour would then be in a position to puts its policy into operation. Mr H. G. Dickie (Nat.) said that he was anxious to know why the Govern ment’s policy could not be put into operation at once. Why did the Government have to carry on the old rickety machine, as the Prime Minister bad classified it.

MINISTER’S REPLY. The Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in reply, said that the Maori would receive the sumo rate per hour and the same allocation as the European, and both races would be on an equal footing so far as the benefits were concerned. He claimed that the provision made in the Bill for old people was quite liberal, as it gave the. pensioner an opportunity to cam a certain sum. He hoped the time was coming when there would be no unemployment tax. Tho Government had removed an injustice when it placed city and country relief workers on the same level. That cost £150,000, but the first thing was to see that the women and children were decently boused, clothed and fed. The question of payment could come later.

The Minister said it was absurd to say that there was nothing in the Bill, and spoke of the provision made for women who, in the past, had had to pay but received no benefit. He had announced an increase in payments to the unemployed to the limits of the existing law. In future there would be no limit —the sky would be the limit, and if there was money iu the fund the people’s needs would b'o attended to. A statement had been made that day that it would cost another £BOO,OOO or £900,000, and the money would be provided. It was asked where the money would come from, but no matt r where the money came from the taxpayer would have to pay in the end. People who bought they were going to live on the country without working were going to get a rude awakening. If men did not take the work that would be provided for them then the Government was done with them. The second reading was carried, and the House rose at 10.30.