AUSTRALIA’S WORKLESS

Southland Times, Issue 21118, 25 June 1930, Page 15

AUSTRALIA’S WORKLESS

MILLION POUNDS GRANT. The Australian Federal Ministry has decided to provide £1,000,000 for the next financial year to assist the State Governments in their efforts to give immediate assistance to the unemployed. The allocation of the amount will be: New South Wales . . £365,000 Victoria .... 257,000 Queensland . . . 130,000 South Australia . . 150,000 Western Australia . . 65,000 Tasmania .... 33,000

In making the announcement in the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister, Mr Scullin, explained that the money was to be distributed on a population basis, with an exception in the case of South Australia, where the unemployment position was worse than in any other State. At a meeting of the Loan Council the representatives of other States agreed to forgo the full amounts which they might have claimed in order that South Australia could obtain a larger share. ' Mr Scullin said that the Federal Ministry felt that the question of giving relief to fhe unemployed was primarily an obligation resting on the State Governments. The contribution by the Federal Ministry had been to build up Australian industries by imposing an’ effective tariff. Even though this step would be a big drain on the financial resources of the Commonwealth, it did not provide immediate relief, or anything like a solution of the problem. Mr Scullin, continuing, said that encouraging reports were coming to hand of an increased number of men being employed in various factories, of the development of existing factories and the creation of new ones, and of a large number of people continuing in employment, although they had been on the point of being dismissed. Unfortunately, side by side with these things there had been a great slump in employment in other directions. The Prime Minister said that the allocation of the £1,000,000 would be made early fcj July. Unlike the previous Federal grant of. £1,000,000 to the States for the relief of unemployment through road works, this grant would be unconditional.