OPINION OF MEMBERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 13

OPINION OF MEMBERS.

VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS.

DISCUSSION ON LEVY. MEASURES TO PROVIDE WORK. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The debate on tho second reading of the Unemployment Bill was commenced in tho House of Representatives to-day. After the Minister of Labour, tho Hon. S. G. Smith, had explained various provisions of the bill, he was followed by (he Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. (.1. Coates, and the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland. The Hon. W. A. Voiteh, Minister of Railways, submitted that tho principles adopted in tho scheme under consideration wore infinitely superior to those in operation in Britain. In Britain unemployment was treated as an industrial problem, whereas it. was a social problem. Wealthy people who did not employ labour should not be permitted to escape contributing to the scheme. The principle in the present bill was to endeavour to spread the cost equitably over all sections of the community. The financial pioposals of tho Government, provided for the raising of tho Consolidated Fund's share of contributions by tho ordinary methods of taxation. It was not intended to spend a great sum ot money on sustenance, which was only to meet cases of dire distress. The reason why returned soldiers' vocational training was included in 1 Ik? measure was that disablement extended beyond returned soldiers and it would be foolish to establish two separate organisations to cope with (wo similar problems, namely, disabled soldiers and other disabled workers. Responsibilities of Ministers.

Mr. M. J. Savage (Labour —Auckland West) said the Public Works and othei departments had certain definite respon sibilities in regard to unemployment and it looked as though the new tribunal that was to bo set up was to be saddled with those responsibilities. It would seem that instead of relieving workers, the hill was designed to relieve Ministers. He suggested that the Government subsidy should be on the same basis as that to hospital boards, namely, pound for pound. Ho could not see that it was reasonable to impose the same levy on all people, irrespective of income. Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Government — Central Otago) said tho most important function that would be assumed under the measure would be the provision of work. Payment of sustenance was only to be regarded as a last resort. There was no loss of dignity to workers as far ns the sustenance provisions were concerned, but it was the policy of the Government to discourage calls on sustenance allowances and endeavour to spend all the money at the board's disposal in creating work. Root Causes ol Problem.

Mr. W. D. Lvsnar (Reform —Gisborne) said he had no misgivings about the bill as it stood at present, but ho was afraid of what it might eventually become if the Government were stampeded by tho extreme Labour Party. He urged tho Government to stand fast by the original bill. lie agreed that it was only a palliative, and that unemployment would never vanish until the country struck at tho root, causes. He considered unemployment throughout, tho world was duo to primary producers not getting value for their goods. Mr. W. ,1 Jordan (Labour—Manukau) said it seemed Mr. Lysnar desired to round up tho unemployed and make them work for the wool kings for nothing. Ho drew attention to the necessity for men to accept work if offered, and asked whether duo consideration would be given to the fact whether a man was physically able to undertake tho work available. Mr. Jordan said there might be awkward situ. ations as a result of the necessity for a man to have been unemployed for 14 days before ho was entitled to sustenance, and ho instanced a case in which a man might have 110 work for several days, then clip a hedge for u couple of clays, and again ho without employment for several days. Ho suggested that 14 days' unemployment qualification should be spread ever a period of about a month. Benefits to Women. Mr. W Nash (Labour —Hutt) urged the Government to make available to women whatever benefits there were to bo derived from an unmployment insurance scheme. He advocated a graduated scale of contributions. Mr. C 11. Clinkard (Government—Rotorua) said it would have been better to have called the measure "Employment and Unemployment Bill," for while it made some provision for the unemployed, its main function was employment. With reference to the contributions, he submitted that it had to be asked who would bo tho beneficiaries, and it would usually be. found that, they would be- men on tho lowest grades. Ho considered that tho flat rate, although not perfect, was tho 7airest possible. Mr G L. Carr (Labour —'Timaru) stressed the importance of altering tho name ol the board to "Employment Board, because should the timo come when there was no more unemployment the board could continue in existence and assist in tho organisation and development of industries. He supported the plea for graduated contributions on the basis of ability to pay. He thought the Ministor might have included some provision for reduced hours of labour in accordance with tho modern trend. Tho debate was interrupted by tho ad journmer't, and tho llouso rose at 5.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.