UNEMPLOYMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 8, 31 July 1930, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT

A FARMER’S VIEWPOINT. production costs too high “Thera is something wrong <nthere would not be so much unom. ploymeut in -this young, partially developed country. There is work to be done, there is idle labour; there is plenty of capital about,, but is going, by hundreds of thousands inter gilt edged securities’. These terms were used by Mr. J. RlVanklin, at the last meeting of the Wanganui Provincial Centre of the Farmers’ Union, to preface a report on the unemployment problem raid the result of deliberations of the Dominion Farmers’ Conference on it.

“Conference delegates expressed views very freely”, Mr. Franklin went on t '"The report submitted from the conference leaves room for 'great deal of thought. But are wo tackling the root causes of this trouble? Fonie blame the Abr it ration Court for dragging the efficient worker and harassing employers of down to the’ level Of the inefficient labour. All sorts of restrictions can be placed on capital before it employ s labour,-, but you can’t compel it to employ labour. Capitael has been left to look after itself and is ‘digging iii’ for its own safety. ■A gallon can’t bo taken out of a quart pot, and eventually payment for labour must-bo by results. The time has arrived when the costs of production are so high that the producer cannot produce except at a loss. Economic law will eventually force us to. a policy in which labour will be employed asd capital will get a fair deal”’, REPORT OF CONFERENCE. .The report of the Dominion Farmers’ Union Conference wa s read as to the meeting by Mr. Franklin as follows, —

‘'That' tliis Conference deplores the unemployment throughout the Dominion' to-day, and recognises the responsibility, of the community as • whole to relieve present distress and still more important to find a remedy. While recognising there is much of value .in the report of the Unemployment Committee we consider that any relief proposed must he viewed with regard to its ultimate effect on the elimination of unemploy ment. Emphatically we protest ag_ ainat regarding unemployment as

permanent and against setting np an organisation to create and, administer a permanent fund ,of £1,000,000 pei: annum by' additional taxation, fepr the relief of the unemployed, with power to spend without restriction, Further'. vie object to giving the suggested power to control Government or local body or private activities. Money required for relief purposes should be obtained from the Consolidated Fiind, and if extra revenue must be found for this purpose it should be obtained by a tax on luxuries. All unemployed relief Work should be on the basis of contract or piece work, and all payments be at a rate less than the standard jWage, with a.distiuctiotn (between.! that ywd to married and to single men. Permanent measure,, should he aimed at clearing away the obstruction to the profitable employment of labour ' and capital. These should include a lowering of costs by. (a) the immediate reduction of all protective duties on the necessaries* of life, and the tools and materials of production, and t.b) drastic economy in public expenditure”.