UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18079, 2 May 1922, Page 8

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

IDEPUTATION TO MINISTERS.

QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION.

GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS.

r,OCAL BODIES MUST HELP. [by telegraph.—mess association.] WELLINGTON. Monday. A deputation from the Central Progress League interviewed tho Prime Minister, the Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister for Public Works),, and the Hon. G. J. Anderson (Minister for Libour), to-day regarding unemployment.

Mr. G. Mitchell, M.P., said they believed unemployment had becomo more acute during the last few weeks. At. his office there was a continual stream of men looking for work. Unfortunately a number of these wero not registering as they said there had been no work for some time. It appeared desirablo that there should bo one centra! bureau for registration, so that they might know how many men they had,to deal with. He thought it would be wise to stop all immigration until they had a definite policy, and thcu bring out only men who wero suitable. A lot of men who wero coming out were quite unfitted for the country. Somo were trying to got back to Britain, and were disgruntled. That would do Now Zealand no good. Tho Prime Minister: That will be the experience everywhere. Mr. Mitchell "said most of these people, and unemployed from the country, wero flocking to the towns, and thus creating an unaesirablo position. So far as ho could gather there were 500 fit men out of work in Wellington, not including men registered with the Returned Soldiers' Association.

Total oi 5435 on Public Works. The Prime Minister said it was a great mistake to think that the Government had done nothing up to the present to find work for the unemployed. At tho present time its efforts in this direction were costing not less than £250,000 a year. On April 30 of last year there were 4570 men employed on six public works, and this year at the same date the number was 5435, an increase of almost 1000. Mr. Coates: With more to go on. We have to absorb tho returned soldiers wo have pronised to take on. The Prime Minister said the Government 'had found work for 1105 unemployed, including 24] at Stratford, 271 at Wellington, and 235 at Dunedin. The Labour Department registers showed 1174 men now out of work. He had not particulars of tho works where it was proposed to put on men, but he wished to say the Government had to be sure that it did not waste the country's money. He thought local bodies in New Zealand should do more tha : n they were doing. Most oi" the larger local bodies had re- j cently raised loans, and they should be able to use some of that money during the winter Value of Immigration, Immigration, the Prime Minister continned, was a difficult (subject to deal with. The last large immigrant ship had now arrived, and there would be only email bodies of immigrants nntil the spring. New Zealauders had a duty to their fellow citizens in the Old World and could not close their doors entirely to them. Great Britain was now experiencing very great difficulties with two million nnemployed. He did not think New Zealand had lost by the immigration that had taken place tip to the present. On thti whole the immigrants were of a good class, and every immigrant helped to create more work in the country and to bear the country's debt. Mr. Mitchell: If they am wealth creators? Mr. Massey: Every industrious man .is a wealth creator. They are not all unemployed. He wan not finding fault with Wellington Citv, but he thought some of the local bodies would have to do more j to find employment. Private individuals no doubt had difficulties, especially in the I country districts, but the position was icv i proving. Bnty of Private Employers. The Minister for Public Works gave some information as to the Government's employment policy. The Paekakariki and Rimutaka< Roads were important w-orks. The Rimutaka deviation could not be taken up until the ' surveys now being made were completed. They had to consider, however, whether it was more urgent to improve existing lines or to provide means of access through country such as that between Raetihi and Wanganui, where a lot of land lad been taken up and there were no communications. It was much better to send men to mere urgent ■works than to put in hand works of lesser urgency near at hand. He did not bold that it u-as the Government's duty to find employment for every man who was out. of h work. Private employers also had a duty to see that a man had food and a chance to find other work when they put him off.

There was some discussiun as to tho accuracy of Mr. Mitchell's estimate of 500 unemployed in Wellington. Ministers held thft this was wide of the mark. It was Btated that another 100 able-bodied men could be taken on shortly, and work could be found for a few others in forestry.