UNEMPLOYMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 August 1928, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

AND THE COUNTRY’S FINANCES

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE „ (By Telegraph) ■ (From . “The .Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter). WELLINGTON, 7th August. Unemployment received attention jn the Financial Statement presented to the House of Representatives to-night. “In order to provide work for those who had the misfortune to be out of employment,” says the Statement, “the Government arranged for additional works, mostly on roads and tree-plant-ing, to be put in hand during 1927-28. The expenditure on such works amounted to approximately £397,000. In addition, subsidies earned, on works undertaken by local authorities during the year totalled £113,000, so 'that the total cost of unemployment works to the State was £510,000. “As unemployment is again prevalent this, winter, steps were taken, as soon as the House met, to further extend the life of the legislation- empowering local authorities to raise loans expeditiously for unemployment works without taking a poll of ratepayers. “In the Local Authorities Empowering (Relief of Unemployment) Amendment v Act, 1928, the provision for payment of subsidies out of the Consolidated. Fund on wages ■■ and voluntary contributions was extended to £300,000, inclusive of the. amount paid dyer last year. “Of the £113,000 earned in subsidies last year only £75,106 was claimed up to 3ist March and paid, and the balance will be included in this year’s expenditure. “Unemployment-usually coincides with falling revenue, and in times like the present we are fortunate in having an accumulated fund out- of which such extraordinary payments can be made. Otherwise there might he no alternative but to increase taxation to meet the increased expenditure.