WORK ON NEW RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20171, 4 February 1929, Page 8

WORK ON NEW RAILWAYS.

The prediction by Sir Joseph Ward that between 10,(500 and 15,000 men would be absorbed on railway construction, reported in a telegram from Wellington on Saturday, is more than a speculation, it was expressed as a definition of the Government's intentions, as the principal contribution to a permanent solution of unemployment. The construction of railways is one o! the outstanding items in the Government's programme, which is based essentially on the proposition that the four main railways nominated by Sir Joseph Ward should be completed as rapidly as possible. With that object, he announced that £10.000,000 would be spent in three or four years. A large increase in the number of men engaged in railway building was consequential on this programme: the increase is to be 10, COO or 15,000. The magnitude of that undertaking may be appreciated by comparison with the facts that the largest number officially registered as unemployed was about 3500, not all of whom were fit for the heavy work of railway building, and that the number employed on railways now is less than 3000. The Government's intention is, therefore, to increase employment on railway works five or six fold, and since the cost will be multiplied proportionately, the £10,000,000 will be exhausted in two years. There are at present less than 13,000 men on all public works, including those inaugurated for the relief of unemployment ; that number is to be at least doubled. Questions of serious importance are raised by such a programme—especially whether the country has m:ch a surplus of labour that it can afford the withdrawal of men from other industries, to the extent of 17,000 or 18.000, for the normal requirements of the Public Works Department do not exceed 7000. The most serious consideration is the situation that would arise upon the completion of the proposed railways. There would not be another scheme oi similar magnitude in prospect, for Sir Joseph A .\ ard has always emphasised the point that his policy is to complete in three or four years . all the railways considered by him worth building. There would, therefore, be an army of anything up to 18.000 men out of work* It is' true that the Prime Minister proposes a complementary process of settlement — 1 the provision of land for homes for not hundreds, but thousands, of settlers/' It is. however, impossible to accept the dimensions of this scheme as practicable. To propose the withdrawal of even 10,000 men from the labour market for the building of railways is to threaten, the country with serious reactions upon its whole industrial structure and to place a dangerous strain upon its financial resources, while the prospects of success in a scheme to absorb as many in permanent settlement within three or four years certainly cannot be predicted with confidence. While there should be every sympathy with rational efforts to remedy and prevent unemployment, public opinion will regard with serious misgivings the policy expounded by the Prime Minister, since it- is manifestly out of proportion to the actual situation and to the responsibilities for the provision of employment that can be safely or economically undertaken by the State.