UNEMPLOYMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 15

UNEMPLOYMENT.

DEMONSTRATIONS AT LIVERPOOL. LONDON, September 12. An unemployed demonstration at Liverpool resulted in a free fight with the police as the result of the crowd trying to take possession of the Art Gallery. Many were injured, including the Rev. J. Laugh Land, who was leader of the demonstration One hundred persons were arrested, many of whom were removed in police vans with their heads bandaged. LABOUR EXCHANGE REPORT. LONDON, September 13. The Cabinet’s Committee upon Unemployment had a long conference. It considered the Labour Exchange's report, which showed that 1,527,000 persons are wholly unemployed. About 400.000 are working short ‘time and 290,000 have exhausted their unemployment benefits, having been out of work more than 22 weeks, but they will be entitled to a further 16 weeks from November 2. Cabinet decided that there must be no extension of individual doles, which was the worst means of relieving unemployment. The committee recommended that assistance be given to local authorities out of the Treasury. It is understood that it contemplates thus spending £10,000,000. The committee discussed the large road scheme as a means of relieving the situation.

BRITISH EX-SERVICE MEN. LONDON, September 13. Two hundred ex-servicemen left London to work in the French devastated areas. If the experiment proves successful other batches will be sent, and will be paid at the trench trade union rates of two francs per hour for unskilled labour. WARNING AGAINST REVOLUTIONARIES. LONDON, September 14. The Liverpool trade union leaders have issued a manifesto stating that practically all the Unemployed Committee are avowed revolutionaries, and are inciting the unemployed for their own ends. POPLAR COUNCILLORS. LONDON, September 13. An extraordinary meeting of tile Stepney Borough Council adopted a resolution demanding the release of the Poplar councillors, failing which the Home Secretaire would be informed that the Stepney Council will refuse to collect rates. LOANS FOR PUBLIC WORKS. LONDON, September 15. The Ministry of Health has circularised the local authorities saying that the Minister is prepared to sanction loans for public works, giving a relatively large amount for employment, even though there is no extreme urgency; but the .Minister must first be satisfied that there will be no undue extravagance through the employment of “uneconomic” labour. LABOUR MAYORS HARASS MR LLOYD GEORGE. I.ON DON,September 16. After an abortive meeting with the Cabinet’s Committee on Employment, 15

of London’s Labour Mayors decided to go to Inverness on Sunday to see Mr Lloyd George. J hough Mr Lloyd George definitely relused to meet them, they say that they are determined to urge that employment is not a local but a national responsibility. Lho scheme already announced is totally inadequate. They say that the Government should make grants on non-productive work equal to half the interest on loans raised bv local authorities, plus half the sinking fund. THE CABINET COMMITTEE’S SCHEME. LONDON, September 16. Official: Cabinet’s Unemployment Committee lias adopted the following scheme: Where local authorities put inUiand approved works which are not revenue-pro-ducing the State will give grants equal to oO per cent, of the interest and sinking fund charges on the loans for the period of half the term of the loans, the maximum being 15 years. In the case of revenue-producing works grants will he paid equivalent to 50 per cent, of the interest on loans for not less than 10 years. These grants will be paid for five years. POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, September 16. At a meeting of the Unemployment Committee & motion was moved that a central fund be established for the purpose of pro* aiding work for the unemployed on work of public utility. It was contended by one or two speakers that cases of distress existed in the city, and the worst of the unemployment situation had not yet been reached. 1 lie majority deprecated any appeal boiling launched, as ihe position did not warrant such steps. The matter was deterred until the next meeting.