PUBLIC WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 22068, 15 July 1933, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF BRITAIN OPPOSED TO EXTENSION -PAST EXPERIENCE (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, July 13. A. statement of the British Government’s attitude towards proposals for undertaking public works and other measures designed to diminish unemployment was made at the plenary session of the Economic Commission by Mr Walter Runciman. He said the question was one for each country to decide. The British Government held the view that at present nothing would be gained by it attempting to extend its Dublic works programme. “We have in recent years devoted £100,000,000 to schemes of this kind and the result has been that on the average for every £1,009,000 expended we have employed 2000 men directly and 2000 men indirectly,” said Mr Runciman. “From that you will observe that this method of dealing with the problem is expensive. In our view it is unduly expensive, and it is an experiment we are not going to repeat. We shall not reopen these schemes, no matter what may be done elsewhere, and we do not think we can usefully participate in any international scheme of a similar nature.

"There are two ways in • which the country may participate in these international schemes. One is by producing plans for the development of its own resources or of their convenience, and the other is by lending money for production development in other countries. If we were asked whether we could participate in any schemes for international public works we can say that as far as schemes are concerned they are the affairs of each individual counti-y, but if we were asked as a capital market to provide money or raise loans for this purpose we could not do so. With the experience behind us of the last few years we have come to the conclusion that whether in our own country or elsewhere, schemes of this kind of international public works are the most unremunerative way of dealing with the unemployment problem. If a committee is set up we could not participate in its deliberations.”