STRIKES AND POOR BELIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18632, 13 February 1924, Page 8

STRIKES AND POOR BELIEF.

A strike of dock-workers in Britain appears inevitable. The present prospect is of work ceasing next week, with 'si. consequent disruptive effect on overseas trade, which is already suffering under sufficiently serious handicaps. That is noli the only serious consequence to thcs community in general. . When the Imperial Conference was sitting,, it was announced that there were in Britain 1,250,000 unemployed, winh a prospect of that number being augmented largely during the winter. The winter season is now at its height, and there is no reason to doubt the existence of very widespread hardship on account 'of the lack of employment. Belief work, already sufficiently onerous, will be seriously complicated as a result of this new industrial upheaval. 'Ihat statement is rot conjectural!, it is based upon definite evidence. A detailed analysis of poor law relief in Britain last year, published just before Christmas, shows what happened during the dock strike of 1923. It began on July 2 and. was settled on August 20, occurring during the height of summer. In that period the numbers receiving poor relief in the districts affected by the strike increased by 53,600 is, the remainder of England and "Wales there was a net decrease, during the game time, of 4100. Nothing has occurred in the meantime indicating that any different results can be expected if the jdock-workers go out again. The money handled by the Poor Law authorities is largely raised by local taxation. The ratepassers therefore become involuntary and indirect contributors to strike funds. Apart from this, the great problem of adequate poor relief, already made more difficult , by winter conditions, will be vastly complicated if the dock-workers strike next week. The strikers and their dependants will suffer; so will the entire community, and eventual recovery from the present depression will be further postponed. ■