PRESSING PROBLEM

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11784, 21 March 1924, Page 6

PRESSING PROBLEM

BRITISH UNEMPLOYMENT 4,000,000 CHILDREN NOT ABSORBED INTO INDUSTRY. “IMMIGRATION THE REMEDY.” Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received March 20, 5.0 p.m.) LONDON, March 20. In the House of Lords, Bishop Lichfield, seeking a statement about the Government’s efforts to reduce unemployment, pointed out that out of six million boy 6 and girls who left school since the war, only one-quarter had been absorbed into industry. This was laying up a fatal heritage for the future. Viscount St. iDavids complained that the Government had not offered a single new thought or idea dealing with unemployment. SHOULD ORDER ( SHIPS. He suggested that as a palliative 3 the Government should order ships in .. partnership with the shipbuilders. If the ships realised a profit, the shipbuilders would take three-quarters of it; if a loss, it should be shared equally. Though already many ships were laid up, a great number of them could be scrapped. Of all the wartime profit-makere the shipowners were the greatest. If their prosperity was deferred for a few months owing to Government building, the shipowners’ wails would not arouse much .sympathy. THE REAL REMEDY. .. The only real remedy for unemployment was large-scale emigration. If „ Britain assisted in providing works in the dominions ehe might lose little. It Would be cheaper than doles. Lord Parmoor, in replying, claimed that the prospect of European settlement was better than it had been at any time sinoe the war. It was very unlikely that any British Government would agree to finance directly public works in the dominions in order to increase emigration. ■WOULD DO MUCH. Tho Government was willing to do everything possible to speed up overseas settlement, which was limited by - the dominions’ power of absorption. The Government was formulating a bill setting out its policy for the reduction >f unemployment. .