RELIEF BENEFITS

Southland Times, Issue 22508, 16 February 1935, Page 5

RELIEF BENEFITS

BRITISH UNEMPLOYED GOVERNMENT RESTORING DEDUCTIONS POLICY CRITICIZED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, February 14. The House of Commons last night passed the third reading of a temporary Bill to restore deductions _in relief benefits made under the administration of the Unemployment Assistance Board. A vote of censure on the Government on the subject of unemployment was submitted to the House by the Labour Party to-day, and the Prime Ministerand several other leading members of the House participated in the debate. Mr G. Lansbury, in moving Labour s censure motion, said that despite tne Government’s optimism there were now-one-third more people who had been unemployed over a year than in 1931. The figures of pauperism had risen from 369 per 10,000 of the population in 1931 to 482, while outside the poor law and employment insurance there was increased unemployment of blackcoated workers which added hundreds of thousands to the total. As there were actually 2,250,000 unemployed there were no grounds for the Government’s claim of victory over unemployment. The Government had failed to recognize that the present economic system had broken down. Mr Lansbury criticized in particular the operation by the Unemployment Board, stating that a central bureaucracy had been set up in such haste that neither those who framed it nor those who administered it really understood

it. The Prime Minister, Mr Ramsay MacDonald, said it would be better if the Opposition, instead of criticizing, would co-operate with the Government in devising practical schemes to deal with the problem. The Government would accept with alacrity any proposals provided they were definitely constructive. The Government aimed at getting the unemployed back into industry. The agitation during the last few days would create a feeling of uncertainty, and- the statements made were without a shadow of foundation, and were apparently more for financial than for political purposes. He cited the continued expansion of the steel trade, and said that 1934 had been the best coal year since 1930. Negotiations were proceeding with other countries, and promised further reductions in the number of unemployed. . Mr J. Cleary (Labour), victor in the Wavertree by-election, claimed that he was returned as an expression,of 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, Minister of Labour, had made a brave retreat the country felt that the situation should not have arisen. The turning point in the fortunes of the Government came with the failureof the World Economic Conference. The President of the United States maimed it but it was killed by the British Government’s declaration. Whatever other countries did Britain should maintain her quotas and tariffs. Within three years they had lost half their foreign trade. The present rate of recovery would take eleven years to reach the 1929 level. Then the Government had tried to cover its failure by a whole series of subsidies. . Mr R. Boothby (Conservative) said that many Conservatives were definitely dissatisfied with the Government s lack of action in the direction of the development of Empire and Crown colonies. The country wanted leadership and vision in the Government. Major H. L. Nathan (Independent Liberal) said it was not the fear of a general election which caused the foreign selling of securities in London; it was because in a broadcast talk in Paris on Tuesday it was stated that the recent speculations in commodities in London would involve Britain in a scandal equal to the Stavisky scandals. Replying to the debate, Mr Neville Chamberlain said that despite January s seasonal drop in employment there were still 700,000 more people employed than three years ago. No alternative policy put forward in this or any other country had produced a comparable The censure motion was defeated by 374 votes to 63.