UNEMPLOYMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1921, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT.

MORE LABOR CRITICISM. REPLY TO ACTING-PREMIER. By Telegraph —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Commenting on the statement made by Sir Francis Bell regarding unemployment, Messrs. Howard, Sullivan, and McCombs, M.P.’s, state that the facts are that the Government precipitated the unemployment crisis by dispensing with the services of 775 men from public w’orks during the months of March and April. The number employed on public works in February was 5516, and the number employed in April was 4741, and as unemployment breeds unemployment by reducing the spending power of the people, the Government was directly responsible for a considerable amount of unemployment. The Christchurch Labor members say it appears, -from Sir Francis Bell’s state ment, that the Government afterwards repented of its action, and realising its mistake, ordered an increase in public works expenditure, but they state that the Government has not even now restored to local bodies the authorisations for expenditure on public works which it cancelled, and neither has the Government restored the 5s or os « day reduction in pay brought about by its having in some instances dismissed men and re-engaged them on public works at the relief rate of pay.