SUFFERING HUMANITY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3294, 13 March 1926, Page 10

SUFFERING HUMANITY

BRITISH LABOUR AND THE “DOLE” Seeking Work Without Success BETTER. TIMES FAR OFF AS EVER For five lons years Great Brl- { tain has Suffered from unem- ! ploymcnt. A large proportion ■ of her workers must still seek /work without success, and the prospect of better times in British industry seems as far off as ever. (By HERMAN SEIFERT.) All sorts of reasons are given to explain the cause of the depressed conditions into which British industry has fallen. Everyone sees only one side of the question, if one may judge from the explanations appearing in the press, or listening to the man in the street. Unemployment. Here Is a list of some of the reaeons given to explain the cause of unemployment: (1). The Government makes no serious attempt to seek out of remove the cause. (2). War was the cause, say some, notwithstanding that all work got 'behind. (3. Exchange rates. (4). Shipbuilding trade going abroad. (5). Pig-Iron, steel and coal trade depression. (B). Disputes between employers and employed,, with their injurious influence.

(7). Capital and taxation taking too much and killing business.

(S). Unjust method of taxation, punishing the industrious and progressive. (9). Too many businesses closed — the remainder cannot carry the whole burden.

(10). lower wages paid by foreign competitors, and longer hours worked.

(11). The absence of a customs tariff, to keep out goods produced by Competitors with a lower standard of living.

(12). Excessive taxation and local rates.

(13) High cost of motive power. (14) High cost of fuel and transport.

(ls) Comparatively high rates of wages fixed by certain trades and by trade boards, and advantageous conditions demanded and granted to labour in sheltered trades and employments, such as' the building trade (which does not meet with foreign competition), and employment under local authorities - and public bodies. (16) The unemployment benefit or "dole” —demoralising the workers and increasing the cost of production. (17) Trade boards fixing minimum wages, obtained by organised bodies of workers under threat of strike, whereas in uncontrolled trades rates change freely to suit trade conditions, but cannot bo changed where such wages are fixed by a board. Cause and ‘Effect. The foregoing list includes moat of the main reasons that came under my notice during my stay in England, and it may be safely said that most of them are an effect of unemployment and not a cause, and the remainder an excuse and not a reason. It seems strange that after suffering unemployment all these long years, with all its destructive effect on the .English people, no seri ous effort seems to have been made to seek out the real cause. If it cost England ten, twenty, thirty or more million pounds to discover the real cause, it would be as nothing to the loss she Is suffering now in wasted energy and demoralising influence on her people. Social System at Fault. To say that unemployment is inevitable is to admit that our social system is at fault, and if that is so it is quite time that steps were taken to improve it. So far as I know, no other country in the world is suffering from the same peril in anything like the same degree. The lime Is surely long past when the ’‘wait-and-see” policy could he ap. plied. The time for action has arrived, if England and her colonies tire to keep their place in the world’s race. Remember fbat England is the only reliable market for our produce, and anything that affects her also affects New Zealand and those depending on her for a market. England cannot suffer without, the greater part of the civilised world being affected, and sharing in England's suffering. The road that, England has travelled during the past five years leads to danger. Tt is already beginning to be strewn with difficulties, that will increase as time goes on, unless a remedy can be found. Days of Cheap Food Cone. Under existing conditions (he days of cheap food for Great Britain are gone,, perhaps never to return. Primary producers must, in future, receive more for their produce than they have received during the past five years, or the world must suffer from famine. There is no other way out. This moans lower interest rates and lower prices for primary producers’ requirements, or higher prices for. their products, in either case the effect on Britain will be the same,, elie will Ua,ve to give more to* »-uai

she receives than she has during the past five years. This is going to be difficult to do with the present proportion of her workers idle and liviing on those at work. They cannot consume without someone producing what (hey consume, and the producer receives nothing in return for such production. The alterna-

tive is to pay it out of capital. England cannot reduce her capital, any more than a private person can reduce his capital by giving it away, without also reducing his income. Prices Nowhere To Go But Up. The deflation of primary produce was complete and- prices had nowhere to go but up, and they arc likely to remain up for some time. Such drastic deflation in. values could not be brought about without doing serious damage to primary production, and years may pass away before complete recovery is made. To make recovery effective and complete prices must remain comparatively high for many years. National Insurance. It is not possible for mo to deal with all the reasons given as being the cause of England’s unemployed problem, but a few words about National Unemployment Insurance started in 1911 in a few trades, extended in 1916 and again in 1920, may not b 0 out of place. This ' insurance scheme is usually referred to as the "dole” by the press and the public, and gets much of the blame for England’s labour difficulties. It covers all employed persons, except outworkers and persons employed in agriculture and private domestic service. The police force and those employed in utility undertakings, and other persons with rights under a statutory superannuation scheme arc excepted in certain circumstances. Persons receiving £250 per year are also excepted. The features of the scheme separating it from the system of public relief under the poor law, are:— 1.—Its insurance nature .

2.—lts connection with employment exchanges, as distinct from the authorities charged with the relief of the destitute.

3. —The character of the contribution made by'the general community, which comes from the national Treasury, not the funds of the local .government authorities. Not Scattering Relief Broadcast. The main point is that it is an insurance fund and not a scheme for scattering relief broadcast. Of the money paid out in benefits for the month ending June 27th, 1925, 39 per cent, was contributed by employers,, 35 per cent, by the workers and 26 per cent, by the State.

For the year ending July, 1924, the contributions paid by the workers and employers together equalled the sum paid out in benefit, the State’s contribution going towards the deficit of previous years.

The scheme covers some twelve million workers, out of a total of fifteen million, and is an experiment in social-industrial legislation which has attracted world-wide attention. Thousands of public-spirited employers and workers give their services in the administration of the scheme on the local employment committees, .Courts of Appeal, Court of Reference and on the rota committees. The first consists of equal numbers of employers’ and workers’ representatives, with some representatives drawn from the City Council, Board of Guardians, British Legion and the local people interested in social work, but their total numbers must not exceed either the workers or employers in number. How the Worker Gets His Benefit.

When an insured person becomes unemployed ho attends the employment exchange with his unemployment book, and must answer a number of questions. Give his name and address, aye, last employer, period of employment, occupation when with last employer, date and reason for leaving; naming some account of his qualifications and. previous experience. The particulars are then sent to his last employer to find out whether the information is correct, and also to the Department at Kew to find out. how the applicant’s account stands. Benefit is refused for six-weeks if the employer states the applicant gave up worlt on his own account, or was discharged for unsatisfactory conduct, or if he declined employment offered to him. Statutory Conditions. The statutory conditions are, first, that the number of contributions must be sufficient to entitle the applicant to the benefit. He must have 30 contribution stamps for the two years immediately preceding the beginning of his current benefit year, which dates from hie first application for benefit, after passing of the Act (Xo. 2), 1021. ’He must he capable of and available for work, and must he genuinely seeking work hut unable to obtain if. Having proved his qualifications, benefit is paid according to the following scale:-—-■Men (IS years and over) ISs per week Women (IS and over) las ~ „ (toys (Ifi and under 18) 7s fid ~ ~ Girls (Ifi and under IS) fis ~ ~ If (he unemployed person is married. either man or woman, and the partner is not working fo l- wages an additional fis per week is payable. The same for a. housekeeper, for dependent children or widowed person, and in the case of a single person, in respect of a widowed mother. The allowance for children is 2s yier week for each child. The Boor Law. Poor relief is distinct from the insurance scheme and is paid to persons in receipt of benefit and to those with no benefit, in the latter case, the maximum relief for man and wife, with five or more childten .is 42s fid per week. A varying number of hours’ work must bo given by those in receipt of relief, the maximum being 34 hours per week. 'l'he following rates of wages in UiiMqiiighaUf will, servo as a. com.-