ACUTE UNEMPLOYMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 12

ACUTE UNEMPLOYMENT.

WORSE THAN MIDWINTER. SERIOUS POSITION DISCLOSED. POVERTY ON THE INCREASE. Official statistics indicate that unemployment is on tho increase. Ten weeks ago, when many avenues of employment were closed by wintry woathcr, the number registered at tho Government Labour Bureau was 053. To-day, when spring is well advanced and conditions are favourable for outdoor undertakirics. it is over 800. Last week tho total was reduced from 856 to 814, which is an encouraging sign, but tho fact remains that, according to tho figures, conditions are as bad as in midwinter in 1926 and 1927. and worso than at the corresponding dato during those years Tho peak was reached in March last, when 1230 men were on tho register, but that was probably accounted {or by tho fact that the Prime Minister, in order to accurately gauge tlie situation. had requested every man out of work to register. Those who keep a close watch on the labour baromoter aro of tho opinion that tho prominence given to relief efforts in Auckland has had the effect of drawing unemployed hero from other centres and from the country, and that the ranks aro constantly boing recruited. Some peoplo may bo under the impression that tho official statist'es do not necessarily give a true reflection of tho position. Probably Worse Than Appears. It might be argued that the number includes a largo number of tho "unemployables," who are content to live from day to day and havo succeeded in doing so in Auckland, thanks to (he soup kitchen, the Parnell shelter and somewhat indiscriminate private charity. But, allowing for a growing pauper class, thero is reason for believing that the unemployment situation is usually rathor worse than tho figures suggest. At the moment, for instance, 418 members of the General Labourers' Union are out of work and tho secretary considers that not more than half of them aro registered at tho Government Bureau. Tho majority of unionists appear to rely upon their own organisations for assistance in finding work rather than on the bureau. Inquiries made in several quarters yesterday supplied definite proof that tho present situation is worse than it was at this time last year or in tho year before. Tho Patriots Association is receiving far more applications for aid than in October, 1927. Last Friday the committee dealt with 158 applications and with 167 the previous week. Last year the corresponding figure was about 75. The majority of these ex-soldiers aro fit men who can be aided only through the B. fund, which is uojv approaching exhaustion. More Applications for Relief. Certain borough work in Onehunga is at present boing subsidised out of this fund to provide employment, but unless tho War Funds Council augments the fund fit soldiers will not be able to obtain much further assistance from the Patriotic Association, whose main fund is solely for men suffering from war disabilities. A member of the Patriotic Association stated ho knew of many ex-sol-diers who, during recent months, had borrowed money on their "bits of sticks" and had reached the end of their resources. Tho operations of the relief department of the Auckland Hospital Board aro the surest sign of the extent of poverty due to unemployment or any other cause. Unlike somo of the privato organisations engaged in social service, it deals with applications in a systematic manner, never granting relief until adequate inquiries have been made. Rarely has it been defrauded by peoplo with criminal instincts or misled by the undeserving. This department finds that there is more poverty at present than at this time last year. Apart from calls now being made owing to tho Parnell shelter having been closed, it is receiving a large number of applications from people who have never before been on its books. At its last meeting 220 cases wore brought before tho committee, and of these 5C or 60 were "new" cases. The appearance of so many initial applications in one week at the beginning of summer, when the district is expected (o absorb the maximum amount of labour, is a very grave sign indeed. Dairy Farm Work. One man closely in touch with the labour market raised (he question yesterday whether the dairy industry does supply as much employment as the mixed farming of the South, and whether there was a seasonal demand for labour that was at all significant. As far as tho Government Labour Bureau is aware, the farmers are not. wanting the kind of labour which would relievo tho position. Tho only jobs on its books yesterday were for youths who could milk, at wages from 15s to 25s a week and "found." These jobs aro of no interest to married men. Forestry operations provido seasonal labour, but the season is the winter, when the planting is done. Plnnting work is now completed, and the State Forest Servico during the last fortnight has ; discharged 200 men from its blocks at Rotorna and Riverhead. Private forestry concerns havo also discharged hundreds of men, and while many of them may never drift into (he city in search of work, their unemployment helps to make the general position more acuto. The Public Works Department has more men at work at the relief rate of wagos than for somo time. Last week it arranged for a further 100, who will bo distributed on roading jobs in the Waikato", and by tho end of tho present week it will havo completed the number, but there seems little prospect of substantially reducing the city's difficulty unless bold measures are adopted. Tho question is being asked in many quarters why (he Main Highways Board does not open u number of comprehensive schemes seeing it commands the funds and labour is waiting. Uso of Machinery. Local bodies are also criticised for not regarding tho matter as an urgent emergency. At present tho City Council lis 30 or 40 men on (ho museum and Domain fernery "relief" works, and is waiting authority for raising a loan for developing Waiatarua Park and the Western Springs recreation ground. This money, with Government subsidy, ought to provido a good deal of employment, and in view of the urgency of tho need, a little more expedition in Wellington would bo timely "Thero is no doubt that part of the shortage of work for unskilled men is due (o (ho introduction of mechanical excavators, which do tho work of dozens of navvies," said tho socrotary of a union yesterday. "Thero is also tho fact, that the maintenance of tho many miles of concrete roads now laid down docs not require much labour. But the men must live and their wives and families must be 'M'oporly-fed and clothed whatever happens. Yet to-day there are navvies who havo not known real unemployment r or years, but who aro now near the bread line. Week after week they become'moro shabby, and it is not surprising that they lose heart." ' A fairly exhaustive inquiry shows that unemployment is much moro acuto than could bo expected in view of tho season and the general financial situation. One does not forget that as tho city grows so also does its number of "unemployables," but apart from tho inefficient thoro are many hundreds of thoroughly sound men who'to uso tho common term are "right up against it."