UNEMPLOYMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1929, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT

The Prime Minister’s refusal to be stampeded into the introduction of an Unemployment Insurance Bill this session was what- might have been expected. Sir Joseph Ward is the custodian of the country’s purse, and he is aware of the drain upon it that might ensue were an unsound insurance scheme allowed to become law. At best such a system is an experiment, and a very risky one. It is essential, therefore, that actuarial and other investigations should be as complete as possible before legislation is introduced. It may be that when all. inquiry has been made it will appear to the Ministry, as it does to a good many taxpayers at present, that insurance as a preventive of unemployment has proved a failure, and that the risk of introducing anything like the dole system of Great Britain is too grave to warrant the introduction of any legislation on the lines that have led to the serious conditions which obtain in the United Kingdom to-day. After asserting his right and duty tomake full inquiry regarding insurance proposals, the Prime Minister gave the House of Representatives the definite assurance that within five weeks there would be work available for all but the unemployable. His promise was welcomed, effusively welcomed, by the Labour Party, and by some of his own supporters. In the fervour of the moment no questions were asked regarding the work to be made available. This inquiry is likely to be made fairly soon, and it' is to be hoped the Government will in no way burke replying in detail. If plans for the absorption of the unemployed are so nearly complete that a Minister can give a definite period in which they will be effective there can be little need for further secrecy. Moreover, local authorities and private individuals are doing their best to increase employment, often when finance is by no means easy to obtain, and it is only just that they and the country generally should know at the earliest opportunity just what the Ministry's proposals are, and what safeguards they contain .against withdrawing labour from farming areas for employment on socalled relief works.