Britain’s Black Spot

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 269, 16 November 1934, Page 7

Britain’s Black Spot

COMMONS DEBATES REPORT United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. LONDON, Nov. 14. In the House of Commons Mr Neville Chamberlain, discussing the report on depressed areas, said that the most tragic feature of the depressed areas was the lengths of time men had been unemployed. In South Wales the percentage of men who had been wholly workless over three years was 35.3 and in Lancashire it w y as over 30. Even if there was an immediate revival in the coal trade there must still be considerable unemployed labour.

Ho appealed to employers in the more prosperous southern areas to give chances to men from the depressed areas. The best hope for untransferable men lay on the land. He would ask the House to vote £2,000,000 for the current year to the Depressed Area Fund. The Commissioner’s operations would begin immediately. Two had already been appointed, and they insisted on working voluntarily as a matter of public service.

JVIr George Lansbury (Labour), lead-er-of the Opposition, said that the Government’s proposals in no way dealt with the crux of the problem, which was abaundaace of production. The school-leaving age must be raised to fit children for reduced hours of work. There must bo retirement of workers at an earlier age on a decent maintenance.