EMPLOYMENT PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1930, Page 11

EMPLOYMENT PROBLEM

QUESTION OF INSURANCE. OPINIONS OF MANUFACTURERS The recommendations of the committee appointed by th© Government to inquire into the unemployment problem were supported by several delegates at the annual conference of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation. The president, Mr. G. Finn, of Auckland, expressed himself as strongly against any scheme of unemployment insurance, but, bowing to the opinion of the meeting, withdrew part of his remit relating to insurance. The remit submitted by Mr. Finn was as follows: —“That this conference is strongly of opinion that unemployment insui'ance in any form is an aggravation of rather than a cure for unemployment; that a properly constituted development of industries board could do much to solve the unemployment problem; and that :the Government be again approached with regard to its establishment.” Mr. Finn contended that his proposal would assist in the removal of the unemployment problem, and said they should voice their opinion on it. He thought unemployment was not so difficult to handle as some people thought, and had it been properly dealt with two years ago they would not have been troubled with it to-day. The antidote for unemployment was not to be found in any textbook, for the germ was a social one and th© cure an incentive to work.

If they accepted unemployment as a development of the age they would lay the foundation for pauperism and permanent unemployment. A committee should be appointed to deal with it. This was a work which could well be entrusted io a New Zealand industries boat'd. Efforts to establish such a board or committee had failed, but he hoped they would be more successful in the near future. , Certain legislation _ had been recommended, which, in his opinion was based on theory instead of on facts. •After years of discouragement, with patience and perseverance the manufacturers were beginning to see daylight, and, with a capable board, with continuity of policy, the Dominion .. would make headway and prosper. Mr. G. Mills Palmer, of Auckland, referred to the quantity of goods which were being imported and which might be made in New Zealand. He said they wanted to give men work, not doles. Mr. L. R. Partridge, of Wellington, related his experience of the unemployment problem in England, and said he was convinced that unemployment insurance was one of the things which must be introduced in New Zealand. They had a dole in England, but without it there would have been revolution. The employers and employees contributed to the unemployment insurance, and the genuine workers would see that no one was allowed to loaf on the fund.

In New Zealand, said Mr. Partridge, they had to pay for unemployment through rates and taxes, or by contributions to various funds. An unemployment insurance scheme would lighten the burden and not add to it. Mr. F. Campbell, of Wellington, said he thought some insurance scheme would have to be introduced. There were portions of the committee's report which deserved the .approval of the federation, especially those provisions which would keep the loaier out. Mr. Finn said he would be sorry to see unemployment insurance in New Zealand. He would rather contribute toward temporary relief. It was not the duty of the Government to provide relief works. He asked why they should not have real work provided by private enterprise. The Government, he said, should make some of the thousands of acres of land open for development. A subsidy of £1 an acre would not cost more than £500,000, and from that land they would produce at least £1,560,000, which would surely be better than carrying on non-productive relief work. In view of what other speakers had said, added Mr. Finn, he would withdraw the first sentence of the remit relating to insurance. This was agreed to and the second portion of the remit was adopted.