UNEMPLOYMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16914, 1 April 1929, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

A SUGGESTED REMEDY "BUY NEW ZEALAND GOODS" "The seriousness of the problem of unemployment wherever it exists fo any great extent in a, country, cannot be overestimated. Certainty the degree of unemployment in New Zealand is comparatively small, but it "is sufficient to warrant the closest attention being given to tho problem and it should be attacked with the greatest possible care to avoid initial mistakes," stated the secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation (Mr. T. O. Bishop) in an address at the annual meeting of the Wanganui Employers' Federation. "Apart from the arbitral ion system,'' said Mr. Bishop, "the most- important subject for discussion by the. National Industrial Conference was that of unemployment, and upon this .subject wo were able lo present to the Government a unanimous recommendation. I think it .is a matter for great regret that tha method we agreed upon— tho appointment of a, representative committee lo impure into the problem and bring down a recommendation to the Governmentis only now about lo be carried into effect," because during the time which has elapsed since the recommendation was marie the problem has not becomo easier.''' SUGGESTED REMEDIES.

Slating thai as he was a. member of the investigative committee now appointed by the Government, it was clearly his duty to refrain from forming a definite opinion upon tho ultimate solution of the problem until the committee had completed its investigation. Mr. Bishop saicT"he must therefore, in the meantime, content- himself with making an appeal to every loyal New Zealander to do his share towards relieving the difficulty of unemployment. There was one way in which they could all assist. Unemployment resulted from a lack of market for the goods which we could and did produce. .Apart, from increased investment in works calculated to provide employment, every citizen of New Zealand could assist to provide employment by purchasing goods made. within. New' Zealand rather than by purchasing imported goods. If the manufacturing industries of New Zealand secured another 20 per cent, of Now Zealand's trade, in the commodities which they manufactured, they could absorb the" whole of the present, unemployed. "We can all help." said Mr. Bishop. "by purchasing locally-made goods, and while appealing to New Zealanders to help in this way, 1 would point out that, it is the cheapest way in which they can render assistance—-very much cheaper than having to iind sufficient revenue to enable the Government and local bodies to establish relief works. Unfortunately people- are short-sighted and selfish. " We have' the spectacle, of many hundreds of wage-earners, who! would he up in amis immediately if it was suggested that they should receive less than New Zealand "standard wages, failing to recognise their duty to their follow workers and sending abroad .1 collective sum of over £150.000 a year for British goods through the system of C. 0.1), parcel post. They claim the light to the Zealand standard of wages, but entirely repudiate their re sponsibilify to help to maintain that standard by spending their wages within the country." THE ENGLISH MARKET,

It was sometimes said that failure to purchase largely from England would destroy the. English market for our exportable produce, continued Mr. Bishop, ami in I hat connection he quoted from the'report of Urn British Economic MLssi.mi to Australia in which'the members of the commission say,: "Our terms of reference, if will be observed, lay emphasis on the, problems of the promotion of trade and commerce between Great) Britain and Australia, and of the increase of settlement in Australia. It early became clear to us that these probjlemis should be approached from the point of view of what is best for Australia herself in the belief that tho increase of Australia's prosperity and productivity is an essential condition, of increased trade with Great Britain. Given the maximum possible prosperity and wealth of production in Australia, the ties between Australia, and Groat Britain are sufficiently close and the sentiments of common loyalty are sufficiently strong lo secure that the maximum'commercial intercourse will follow. Given the maximum possible power of absorbing population in Australia her determination to remain the British community in the world is sufficiently strong to secure that it will be from Great Britain that the flow of immigration will come. But if the desired conditions of, Australian prosperity and' power to absorb population are not present, artificial means of promoting trade with and migration from Great Britain must fail. We have, no shortsighted idea of attempting to induce Australia to carry on more trade or to take more migrants from Great Britain at the cost of lasting economic sacrifice on her part. We belive that any such effort woidd be bound to defeat itself."

"This is equally true of Now Zealand," concluded Mr. Bishop. "It is our duty as citizens of New Zealand to care for our own Fellow-citizens and to do all l that we possibly can to increase New Zealand's prosperity and power to absorb population, because, as is staled in reference to Australia by the, members ot* tho British Economic Mission, the determination of Now Zealand to remain tho most British community in the world is sufficiently strong to ensure that the flow of immigration to New Zealand resulting from increased prosperity will cumo from Great Britain."