UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17061, 20 September 1929, Page 7

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

PROPOSED INSURANCE COMMITTEE URGES ACTION CAUSES OP SLACKNESS. (Pa filamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. That the Government should, take action this session to deal with unemployment insurance was the recommendation of the Labor Bills Committee when reporting on the Unemployed Workers Bill. '1 lie committee made this recommendation in the realisation that the bill in its existing form—it was framed by Mr. P. Eraser, Labor member for Wellington Central—could not proceed. Following the presentation of this report, Labor members urged the Government to introduce a scheme ,of unemployment insurance this session, Mr. Eraser stating that the Labor Party would he willing to stay on in Wellington for as long as the Government liked providing the session was extended, to make time for the enactment of tlie necessary legislation. Mr. J. S. Fletcher, Government member for Grey Lynn, joined with the Labor members, and urged the Government to take action. The present proposals would not meet the situation. If the House was in earnest in dealing with unemployment, a scheme could be devised. Mr. Fletcher said. he. believed tilings were going to be worse' in future, and he felt much trepidation concerning the situation. The time was ripe for action. The report was adopted. UNEMPLOYMENT ANALYSED. The Labor Department’s annual report analyses the incidence of unemployment, showing that whereas in iormer years unskilled workers constituted one half, the proportion increased in the last two years to two-thirds', the remainder being distributed amongst farm hands, drivers, hotel workers and cooks, carpenters and joiner's,- clerical workers, engineers, gardeners, painters, glaziers, storemen and packers, seamen and firemen, shop assistants and salesmen, and miscellaneous. It is shown that building has slackened during the last two years. -Inquiries made in different districts of the Dominion show the following reasons for the present state of slackness : Engineering: The increasing use of electricity, for which motors, etc,, are imported, has had the effect of slowing up the trade. Electrical trade: Owing to the completion of the bulk of the reticulation work, men employed in wiring are experiencing difficulty in keeping in employment. Saddlery: The trade continues to recede in importance with the increase in motor traction. Boot manufacturing: Importations and prejudice against the local' article. Those connected with the industry are optimistic, however, that the footwear committee’s deliberations will have a beneficial effect upon the trade. Gum digging: It is estimated that 700 men have been compelled to leave the diggings in the far north on account of the discovery of a cheap substitute. Sawmilling: Due to importations. The West Coast and Hamilton districts report ia gradual improvement, whilst Wanganui reports that nine mills have closed on account of the cutting out'of bush, and that no new ones have been, opened. Meat freezing; A quiet season has been experienced 1 in several* 1 districts, where the amount of stock handled was less than that of last year. New Zealand’s unemployed in July equalled 1 in 373 of the population, and the opinion _is expressed that this was much lower than in other countries.