UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20562, 13 May 1930, Page 12

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

Sir,—Mr. E. Earle Vaile again denies misquoting mo and challenges mo to prove it. In my letter of March 19, 1930, 1 said, "Tho plight of an unemployed person is not solely, or even mainly, his individual business." Mr. Vaile, on March 22, 1930, quoted this as " His plight as an unemployed person is not his individual business." If ho cannot see the difference I cannot assist him to. He now pictures mo as in kindness taking "a strong adult person," who was unemployed, to my homo and sharing my substance with him and then, later, using Australian terms to him, and heaving him forth. 110 invites mo to " search my heart" and tell him bow I would deal with this situation. Mr. Vaile does an injustice to my mental and material resources. Surely it is hvpothetically possible that 1 might possess a woodpile and an axe and enough mother wit to refer pointedly to the same when introducing that "strong adult person" to my humble abode. But if I had, as is proposed for the Employment Board, tho whole resources of tho State behind me," it is probable that I should bo able to organise work of a nature honourable to tho doer and profitable to tho community for that strong adult person. I heartily agree with Mr. Vaile that it is "tho function of Government to so regulate public policy and tho relations between its subjects that all may have, as nearly as hum.mly possible, equal opportunity of employment and advancement." Where we differ is in this. lie says the palpable failure to secure opportunity of employment privately should be met by public alms-giving. I say it should be met by public action in providing work or honourable maintenance and that the recipient of the latter should pay in advance a part of tho cost. I believe that to bo better for the individual affected and better for the community. Mr. Vaile states that " all the world knows'" that my suggestion, in somewhat different form, " has been adopted in England to the injury both material and moral of the nation." I dc not think it is true to say all the world knows this. But does anyone know or dare to imagine what would have happened in Er.cl&ud iJ "unemployment insurance" had not been introduced there? Oscar Mcßrine.