GOVERNMENT INDICTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18632, 16 February 1935, Page 15

GOVERNMENT INDICTED

UNEMPLOYMENT AT HOME LABOR 'LEADER’S ATTACK SUPPORT FROM LIBERALS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received Feb. ,15, p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 14. Tn the House of Commons, Mr. C. Lnnsbury. in moving Labor’s censure motion, said that despite the Government’s optimism there were now onethird more people who had been unemployed'over a‘year t han in .192]. Figures of pauperism had risen from 309 per 10,000 of the population in 19.31 to 182, while outside Ihe pomlaw and unemployment insurance there was an increased number of unemployed black-coatoil workers, which added hundreds of thousands to the total.

As there were actually 2,500,000 unemployed, there was no ground tor the Government’s claim of a victory over unemployment. The Government had failed to recognise that the present. economic system had broken down.

Mr. Cleary, the victor in the WaverIreo by-election, claimed that he- was returned as an expression of the mass resentment at the Government’s policy towards the unemployed. Sir Herbert Samuel said the Government .had muddled and mishandled unemployment. relief. Though Mr. Oliver Stanley had made a brave retreat, the country felt that the situation should not have arisen. The turning-point in the fortunes of tho Government came with the failure of the World Economic Conference. Tho President of the United States had waived it, but it was killed by the British Government’s declaration that whatever other countries did we should maintain our quotas and tariffs. Within three years we had lost half our foreign trade,'and at the present rate of recovery it would take 11 years to reach the 1929 level. Then the Government tried to cover up its failure by a whole series of subsidies. Mr. ,K. J. Boothby said that many .Conservatives were definitely dissatisfied with the .'Government’s lack of action in the direction of the development of the Empire and iCro.wn colonies. The country wanted leadership 'and vision in t]ie 'Government.

Major it. L. Nathan said it was not fear (of a general election which caused the foreign selling of securities in London; it was because, in a broadcast talk from Paris on Tuesday it was stated that the recent speculations in coni modi ties in London would involve Britain in a scandal equal to the Stavisky scandals. The censure .motion was defeated by 374 votes to 68.