UNEMPLOYMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19563, 16 February 1927, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT.

Sir, —All single unemployed men should be Rout on to Government jobs in the country, to leave what work there, is i» the cities to married men with families to support. I trust that the Government will not be so foolish as to vote .apv money for " relief " works in tho cities for tho unemployed, as this sort of assistance only aggravates the position l>y drawing men from tho country districts. Wo have already too many, able-bodied, single men hanging about towns, who are constant frequenters < f racecourses, dance halls, etc. Tho Government should certainly make a start at once to open up farm lands by making permanent roads arid building bridges—tho .railways can wait. It is not fair to put men on n«v/ country without it being - properly roaded first. All farms that have fallen back into the hands of the Government should bo at once balloted for again, without being loaded with back rent, interest, ftc. It is wiser to cut losses at once and get settlers on to the country before it further deteriorates. Now Zealand should bo carrying a population of 10 million* at the present time, as it is essentially a producers' country. We, however, w* tainly want Britishers of the tvi o as immigrants—not foreigners. N.& Sir, —The problem of uncmploymciif, which is one phase of underemployment, may not be satisfactorily dealt with apart from overemployment and misemploymtnl. Nor may the problem of employment !•» properly considered apart from other economic questions. Our whole economic system needs to be thoroughly revised m the interest of national efficiency. It n a great economic loss to have persons rTl ' gaged in work below or above what they are qualified to perform. Again, it is not fair to have one. person or one family greedy of work that thev leave oilier* without a fair share of employment. Ministers of the Crown, with several portfolios, have set citizens a bad example ui this matter. Unemployment would fi"t exist as it does to-day if the Minister y Labour had a staff competent to deal with the matter efficiently. There, is no end >■' work to be done in this country, even >* we only pull down existing structures and build better. And this work may b« financed, even though it might he by Government scrip. I do not propose, that —though that would be more economics than existing unemployment-—but I" n think that the Government should solicit suggestions from our citizens as to what works they f.lilrjk may be wisely undertaken and bow they may best 'b® financed. The State, should not dfsW»ura£« private enterprise and intimidate capita' as it has been doing, but. should rath (,f encourage the same, and itself Htodertaß* only such extra work as private am municipal enterprise may not satisfactorily perform, and sufficient to provide eropHy meufc for all at a reasonable wage, wbir.» the State itself has the right to * ! ; the State does its duty sn fins . I State-assisted immigration will antota* I'* 1 '* . cally adjust itself, for the State w:H n continue to import more workers than *■ can reasonably - employ. I'KACriCAt Ecetsiorr.