UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY

Southland Times, Issue 19311, 1 August 1924, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY

HUGE WORKS PROGRAMME BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S SCHEME CONSERVATIVE CRITICISM. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 31. (Received August 1, 1 a.m.). In the House of Commons, Mr Philip Snowden (Chancellor of the Exchequer) outlined the Government’s unemployment policy. Mr Snowden, in opening, claimed that Labour had a positive remedy for the industrial evil, but could not effect a cure in a day. The Chancellor said that he would welcome a development of the canal system and regretted that the railway companies were not showing much enthusiasm in reequipping their lines. The difficulty was the duty of the companies to their shareholders. If the railways were nationally controlled, the position would be very different. The Great Western during the winter was prepared to spend £13,000,000, the North Eastern £19,000,000, the Midland £13,500,000, and the Southern £10,000,000. The country was already spending £40,000,000 annually upon roads, while the Government had approved of a further road programme costing £13,500,000. Drainage schemes were also under consideration, including draining the basin of the Great Ouse. Mr Snowden promised an early Bui to assist electrical development. The Government had also decided to subsidise beet sugar manufactured in Britain to the extent of 19/9 per cwt. The subsidy would continue for ten years, being on a diminishing scale. The Government had been assured that if a subsidy were granted, six factories would be started immediately, each employing 500. In order to guard the Free Trade principles, the Government would* impose an Excise Duty of 9/9, which was equivalent to a preferential customs duty. Mr Lloyd George twitted the Chancellor with reserving the Labour Party’s real remedy until after the next election. He expected that it would consist of the abolition of private enterprise and the confiscation of all industries. The proposals on behalf of beet sugar would leave the industry worse off than before the last Budget. Sir L. Worthington Evans said that the works outlined in the Chancellor’s speech had not given another man additional work during the winter. The Government were producing rabbits from a hat. A motion to reduce the Labour Minister’s salary was rejected by 254 votes to 204.