UNEMPLOYMENT

Southland Times, Issue 19894, 12 June 1926, Page 7

UNEMPLOYMENT

“ONLY TEMPORARY” deputation to prime MINISTER “WE MEET ON COMMON GROUND” (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June It. Replying to a deputation urging the cause of the unemployed to-day, the Prime Minister said that so far as it was humanly possible the Government would join with labour organisations in endeavouring to overcome the unemployment trouble. His one thought was that all should get their shoulders to the wheel. Personally he believed the trouble was only temporary. It was hoped that the committee of various organisations which had been set up and which was sitting that day would assist in , relieving the situation, and that the legislation which he proposed to ask Parliament to pass and which he had no doubt would Ibe passed would result in a lot of the ! present trouble being got rid of in the ■ course, of a fortnight at least. "We meet on common ground, and in a common cause,” he said, “and our efforts will be directed towards getting work for the unemployed and giving relief in necessitous cases. If you want additional representation on the committee from the Trades Hall we are willing to give it.”

The Prime Minister said he could not agree to using the Public Works for absorbing unemployed. That would be like going back to the good old days. All Public Works employees nowadays were trained men who gave a good return for the money spent. His concern was to see that they had something to look forward to in the future and that they went on with the programme that had been laid down by the department which, when it had a good man, wanted to stick to him. Unemployment was seasonal to a great extent. Wherever it could be arranged men would be drafted from a labour bureau to relief works. There could not very well be two registers of unemployed and he suggested that the Trades Hall authorities who frequently would have more information than the Labour Department should keep in close touch with the department which he Mas sure would be only too pleased to receive recommendations. PREMIER’S ATTITUDE. “FLAGRANT ABUSE OF POWER.” STRONG PROTEST FROM DUNEDIN. Dunedin, June 11. A meeting of the Otago Labour Council condemned the Premier’s proposal to employ men under the award rates, stating: “We deny emphatically the right or authority of any official to over-ride the decisions of the Arbitration Court even under the pretence of relieving distress. Furthermore., we regard as particularly reprehensible the Premier’s unconscionable attempt to take advantage of destitution which had been rendered more acute by his own disorderly immigration policy to drive an unjust bargain with the innocently helpless and unfortunate. We refuse to believe that the people of New Zealand wish -to l>e made partners in a practice of this kind which can be regarded only as a flagrant abuse of power.” EFFECTS OF IMMIGRATION. STATEMENT BY MR. F. D. THOMPSON. New Plymouth, June 11. Addressing the Chamber of Commerce, Mr F. D. Thompson, Under-Secretary for Immigration, gave an emphatic contradiction to statement that a large number of .Government immigrants had returned to England and that they were swelling the local unemployed. Not five per cent, had returned to England, and of the. large number introduced during the last few weeks everyone had been sent to employment, or friends, about 65 per cent, going to the country and the balance to the towns, being artisans or tradesmen. He expressed satisfaction alsp with the working of the Chamber’s scheme of introducing public school boys, which had proved a marked success. He saw no reason why the Dominion should reduce its immigrants below 10,000 per annum who could be readily absorbed but would not at present advocate increasing the quota.