Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1930. THE UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 88, 11 March 1930, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1930. THE UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM.

It was not to be expected that the report of the Commission on Unemployment, set up by the Minister of Labour last session, would meet with unqualified approval throughout tiie country, in most quarters it has, however, been the subject of favourable comment, altnough, in Labour circles, objection is raised to the alleged insufficiency of the sustenance allowances suggested for the unemployed, and in other quarters the proposal to finance the relief scheme by levying additional taxation is also objected to, as it is contended that the employers and the employees, with the Government, should share the cost in equal proportions. Hon. T. Shailer Weston, M.L.C., who is well known as the president of the New Zealand Employers’ Eederation, was interviewed on the subject in Wellington, last week, when he gave his “unqualified support to tlie findings of the Unemployment Commission,” speaking not (as he was careful to say) in his official positions, but “as an individual.” As a member of the Industrial Conference convened by Mr Coates, which sat in Wellington in 1928, and was to have sat again last year had the Reform Government remained in office, Mr Weston is known to have devoted much time and attention to the unemployment problem, and his views on industrial* questions generally are received with respect by both workers and employers. Mr Weston points out, very truly, that although the Dominion is still a young country, with some material resources as yet undeveloped, unemployment is likely to continue, for the simple reason that there is no longer the outlet for men seeking work that existed in the prewar era, when the gum fields, sawmills and bush-felling camps absorbed large numbers of men. In other occupations employment., so far as men are concerned, is restricted by the introduction of machinery and labour-saving devices, and even clerical callings are affected in the same way, and the increasing number of women teachers is affecting the employment of male teachers. The problem presented by these changes is a difficult one and, in exploring possible new avenues for employment, it seems very desirable that the commission should continue its investigations/ The commission’s report promises well in this direction, its whole tenor showing that it has gone very thoroughly into the problem the

unemployment trouble presents—a trouble which, it may be remarked, is no greater and considerably less than that which presents itself in other parts of the world, notably in Great Britain, where there are over a million unemployed, and in the United States of America, where, even in that prosperous country, the unemployed, according to latest advices, number over three millions. OBJECTIONS TO THE SCHEME. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr G. A. Troup, is more pronounced in his opposition to the recommendations of the Unemployed Commission than Mr Weston is in his support of the scheme. He is not only “amazed” by “the proposal to pay out money to the unemployed without anything in the way of service to the community,” which he regards as “preposterous,” but he considers that the scheme is “to be scouted by all reasonable men.” He is further of the opinion that there is “plenty of work to do,” and, “as long as we have money to pay for it, works of benefit to everyone could be arranged.” Mr Troup has, however, a scheme of £is own, the points of which were elaborated at the conference of the Municipal Association at Invercargill on Thursday, in connection with which he secured the passing of a motion objecting to the proposal put forward by the commission on grounds briefly stated as follows: That work and not a dole should be provided; that the principle of taxation of municipalities in the matter provided is unfair and unsound; and that the country is unable to stand an additional taxation of £1,000,000 annually. The motion carried with it the recommendation that the Government should adopt the unemployment insurance scheme prepared by the Municipal Association two years ago (a scheme embodying "Mr Troup’s plan for dealing with unemployment), the payments into which should be “one penny in the pound on all wages to be paid by the following contributors: (a) The employee; (b) the employer; (c) the Government; (d) the local bodies,” the Government to expend “one quarter of the amount on the employment of single men,” and the local bodies to “expend three-quarters of the amount on married men.” A scheme of that nature requires very careful consideration, in respect of its incidence alike on industry and taxation. It certainly brings the employers into the business, who are only affected under the Unemployed Commission’s scheme by such contributions as they would make in the way of the increased taxation to be borne by the general community. But the sufficiency of the fund proposed to meet the demands that would be made upon it is seriously open to question, for it is very doubtful if the Government could continue employment on the required scale to keep taxation within its present bounds, seeing that its expenditure on relief works during the past ten months only has (on Mr Yeitch’s showing) been £1,012,852 as compared with the previous twelve months, its subsidies to local bodies during the ten months amounting to £80,831. Mr Troup’s scheme, adopt by the Municipal Conference, would, so far as the local bodies are concerned, merely involve an addition of something under £25,000 per annum to the wages sheet of their employees, against double that amount required by the commission’s proposal to levy one per cent, on local body revenues. The Government and the taxpayer would be responsible for, and would have to make good, any shortage in the unemployment insurance fund, in addition to their own suggested contribution, and it is very doubtful if the penny in the pound required to be paid by the wage earners of the Dominion would amount to the half million or so which the commission estimates would be paid under its scheme. However, there is a case for inquiry, and it would be as well were the Government to refer the Municipal Conference scheme to the Unemployment Commission for its investigation and report. The members of the commission have, it may be assumed, gone into the matter more fully and given greater time and attention to the business than the conference can possibly have devoted to the consideration of its scheme, which, however, should be treated with the respect and consideration it deserves, and form the subject of actuarial investigation, and of further report from the commission.

The Ulimaroa arrived at Sydney this morning from Wellington. Counterfeit coins are reported to be in circulation in Auckland.

The carriers’ waiting room was removed to-day from the junction of Rangitikei Street and the Square to a new site on the opposite side of the fountain square. The Palmerston North Borough Council, at its meeting last evening, decided to request the borough solicitors to draft a by-law prohibiting the driving of stock in any part of the borough after 7. a.m. daily.

At last night’s meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the W.E.A.. Mr N. S. Mountain was re-elected secretary. The following were elected to the committee, with power to cooperate with others:—Mrs D. O. Williams, Miss J. B. McLeod and Messrs. G. H. Espiner, V. A. Christensen, W. Davidson and J. Buglass.

When the question of selling an old horse, cart and harness came before the Kairanga County Council, to-day, Cr. Anderson related how he had bought the animal nearly 23 years ago. “I paid £22 for it and was accused of making a bad investment and wasting the ratepayers’ money,” he paid. “That horse has earned his cost in the last twenty years.” The sale was left to the engineer who was instructed to find the horse a good home. March 18 has been fixed by the Min. ister of Labour, Hon. W. A. Veitch, as the date for the commencement of the sitting of the special committee which is to investigate the operation of the Workers’ Compensation Act. The Minister stated at Wellington yesterday that the personnel of the committee was almost completed and would be announced in the course of a few days. Ihe object of the inquiry was to remedy the existing anomalies in the legislation and, if possible, to improve the position of the injured workers. Discussing the condition ol pastures in the Mauawatu, Mr J. W. Deem, Director of the Field’s Division ol the Department of Agriculture, informed a “Standard” reporter to-day that, despite the dfy weather, the grass was holding well, except for patches on the lighter lands. Cows were lasting well in milk and the dry period had had a wonderful effect on sheep after the setbacks received through adverse conditions in the early part of the season. Dairy farmers, however, would welcome a good downpour of rain. Attention was drawn by Cr. Fitzherbert at the meeting of the Borough Council, last evening, to the condition of the footpaths through the Square gardens, and he suggested that they should be put in a thorough state of repair. Cr. Hodgens said the footpaths leading from the populous outskirts of the town should receive first consideration, and he would oppose the work in the gardens until the others received attention. He voted against a motion which was carried to give effect to Cr. Fitzherbert’s proposal. At a public meeting at Stratford on Saturday, convened by Messrs. Dickie, Wilkinson and Poison, M.P.’s, for the purpose of considering the present position of the Taranaki scholarship lund, a resolution was passed as follows: “This meeting will resent any attempt to divert any part of the Opaku endowment, and is also ol opinion that more scholarships should be granted to Taranaki students; that such be substantially increased and varied and made available at Massey College, and that greater publicity should be given to the availability of the scholarships.” The Kairanga County Council to-day decided to grant a leas 3 for five years of the Fitzherbert cemetery reserve. Cr Moody made the application on behalf of the prospective lessee, explaining that no one had ever been buried in the reserve. Some doubt was expressed as to the council's power to grant a lease, but a title given to the f itzherbert lioad Board in 1900 was discovered. When the Kairanga County Council came "nto existence in 1902 all the board’s property became vested in it. A lease lor five years was thereupon granted. Residents of College Street East forwarded a letter to the Borough Council last evening asking it to grade the roadway and to plant the street with trees, agreeing to subscribe the sum of £1 towards the cost of each tree. The council agreed to the application, the trees to be placed on the footpath. College Street West residents asked the council to grade and surface the roadway in College Street West between Cook Street and Botanical Road. Cr. Eliott suggested that the matter should be placed on the estimates lor next year. The Mayor commented that it was a £IOOO job. The matter was referred to the estimates, it being stated that part of the work at least might be done.

The question of rates on the site of the railway deviation was raised at the meeting of the Kairanga County Council, to-day, when Cr. Anderson stated he understood that portion of the land had been leased to a farmer in the district. The lessee, he added, would be liable for rates. The clerk stated that when the Palmerston North Golf Club was formed he had written to the Valuation Department on the matter, but a reply had been received stating that leases to the Golf Club and others were under consideration and if these were carried out details would be entered on the valuation roll. Under the circumstances nothing could be done at present.

With a view to improving the grounds surrounding the new infant department at the College Street School, the school children are at present busily engaged in removing surface stones. A count taken over a period of three days disclosed that the pupils had removed the substantial number of 139,000 stones. Appreciation of the children’s efforts was voiced at last night’s meeting of the committee, Mr Swinbourn, headmaster, being asked to convey the committee’s thanks to the children. The headmaster mentioned that while a competition had been held in connection with the stone gathering, there had been no prize attached; the children had done it out of love for the school.

A painful accident happened to the youngest son of Mr and Mrs J. W. Procter, of Levin, on Sunday. He left his home on Beach Road shortly after lunch to ride a bicycle to Hokio. An hour later he was found by two native bovs lying on the road a- hundred yards past his parents’ residence, in an unconscious condition and suffering from severe cuts and abrasions on. the face and head. He was picked up by Mr Neville Winiata and taken home, subsequently being taken to Levin for medical treatment. The lad was still in a dazed condition next morning and though he hnd recovered consciousness could give no account of how the accident happened. Hi 6 bicycle was lying near where he was found with the front forks broken.

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There were three stowaways on the Aorangi on her trip from Sydney to Auckland. They were arrested °n ™ steamers arrival at Auckland yesterdav, and later sentenced to 14 clays imprisonment. Mention was made bv Cr. Hodgens at the Borough Council meeting last evening that repairs were needed to the floor of the stand at the Sportsground. It was decided that the engineer should givd ihe matter Ins a tention. Twenty-five of the party of 37 Canadian bowlers who toured New Zealand and Australia are on board th Aorangi, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney yesterday. Three of the original party remained in New Zealand and the balance have started ou on a world’s tour before returning to their home country. “There is no illness on board whatever. The vessel is a clean ship, said Dr. J. A Watson, acting port health officer, on board the Aorangi at Auckland yesterday. A thorough examination of all the crew and passengers was carried out, the procedure being more critical than usual, although at any time no risk is taken.

Before motor traction became so largely used the Kairanga County Council purchased a section at I; itzherbert for the grazing of its horses. With passing years this land is no longer required and to-day Cr. Moody told the council that a prospective buyer had approached him, offering £IOO for the area which was roughly two acres. It was decided to hold the question of the &ale over to the next meeting.

A plea for more extensive scientific research in connection with the fishing grounds is made by the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, Mr A. E. Hefford, in a report on the industry just issued by the Marine Department. The report states that the hauls in New Zealand waters last year were below the totals for the previous 12 months. The largest decrease was at Auckland, where the landings were 2550 tons below the total in 1927-28.

Appreciation of the temporary installation in Hyde Park, London, of Wellington's carillon was expressed at Wellington, yesterday, by Mr S. R. Whitley, leader of the Empire farmers' delegation. Speaking at the Government reception to the delegation. Mr Whitley said that it was particularly pleasing New Zealanders should have thought it wise to allow their kinsfolk oversea to hear those beautiful bells before they were transported to the Dominion. It was just another means of linking the two countries still closer together. Several good-sized salmon were caught in Canterbury rivers over the week-end, headed by a 28 pounder from the Rakaia River. Several ol from 10 to 12 pounds were caught, and one angler at the Waimakarin River landed two 20-pounders and three 14-pounders. Nearly every angler met with success, there being an unusually good run in most of the rivers, especially in the Waimakariri, where yesterday morning the salmon were still running strongly. A feature of the salmon this year is that they are not gashed and marked as in previous years.

Two young Auckland students of architecture, Messrs. A. J. Sedeole and C. Irwin Crookes, spent three months of their last vacation in visiting all the old buildings in the province erected bv Bishop Selwyn, and recording details in faithful and accurate plates. The result is a set of beautifully executed plates of 16 churches, the bishop’s palace, two houses and the old mission store at Kerikeri. On Friday evening the collection was presented to Archbishop Averill at a farewell gathering on the eve of his extended tour abroad. The archbishop expressed great appreciation of the work, which he described as one of the most valuable historical records in New Zealand.

About 600 delegates from countries bordering the Pacific will attend the Third Pacific Rotary Conierence which is to open in Sydney rext Sunday. Through passengers by the Makura which arrived at Wellington from San Francisco yesterday included three Californian delegates, Mr B. Tucker, retired banker and oil magnate, of Los Angeles; Dr. 0. J. Monson, physician, of Santa Monica; and Air E. Stoddard, vice-president of the Charles C. Moore Engineering Company, of San Francisco. Air Stoddard is accompanied by bis wife. The conference will conclude on Alarch 22. Delegations are to attend from every country on the Pacific, there being a special party from Japan.

“While medical research work in New Zealand is rather liimted, I find that the work of the profession is of the very highest standard,” said Dr. F. E. Wiedemann, of Indiana, who is returning home by the Aorangi after a visit to the Dominion and Australia. Dr. Wiedemann, who Iras travelled in many countries making observations of medical advancement and the conduct of hospitals, spent a week in the North Island before going to Australia. “I .met some of the leading medical meij, and I found them to be just as well versed in surgical and medical matters as those 1 met in Europe,” said Dr. Wiedemann. “In New Zealand there is little more conservatism in surgical work than in America, but this I think is an admirable quality.”

The association of tlio GovernorGeneral designate, Lord Bledisloe, with agricultural and Empire affairs, was referred to by Mr S. R. Whitley, leader of the Empire farmers’ delegation at Wellington yesterday, when replying to the Government’s welcome to the visitors. Mr Whitley said that had Bledisloe not been called to a higher positiou he would have been replying to the welcome, as he had been chosen originally as leader of the delegation. Lord Bledisloe had resigned that position with great sorrow, but the delegation’s loss was to be New Zealand’s gain. Two thoughts were always present with Lord Bledisloe—agriculture and the Empire. He was known as a man who was out to help agriculture and to help the Empire. Yesterday was a day of glorious sunshine in Wellington City and suburban area. Toward midday, however, a brisk breeze came front the northwest, Lut it was not sufficiently strong to be unpleasant, and toward sundown it died away us suddenly as it came. A sudden change set in at about nine o’clock last night. Tho wind came up from the south, accompanied by rain squalls, with the usual drop in temperature The weather was dull and cloudy at Auckland yesterday, and a moderate breeze was blowing from tho south-west. Christchurch weather was clear and hot yesterday mornyig and early in the afternoon, but a cold sou’-wester arose at .about four o’clock, followed by threatening weather. After beautiful weather over the week-end at Dunedin, a noticeable change came yesterday. The sky was overcast and fine until about 10 a.m., when a light rain fell at intervals until late in the afternoon, when intermittent sunshine was recorded. Tho wind was light from the south-west and the atmosphere somewhat cold.

Among tho Port of London pilots are 195 who earned more than £IOOO a piece last year.

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