UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1931, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY

WOiRK TO BE REPRODUCTIVE DIVERSION FROM LOCAL BODIES. GOVERNMENT APPROVES SCHEM& By Telegrash—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputy chairman o£ the Unemployment Board, made the statement to-day that the newly constituted Unemployment Board, after investigation had unanimously reached very definite conclusions as to its future policy. These had been approved by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. The board had decided it was imperative that the unemployment funds should be largely diverted from work done by local bodies under what was'called Schema No. 5 directly to reproductive work, mainly on the land. Whilst-much useful work had been done by the local bodies the limit of this had in many cases been more than reached. It was proposed that responsible committees in the various centres be given much more authority to control the work in their centres, associated with some permanent public officer. “The outstanding fact,” said Mr. Jessep, “is that it is absolutely necessary that the huge amount of money being paid out weekly should be definitely turned to productive uses so that it may tend to increase exports and increase revenue io the State. Otherwise it is obvious that the very source from which the unemployment funds are derived will tend to dry up.' la districts where the main industry is mininfl attention will be paid to develop the.indiM? try in every possible way. ’ “The change-over will take some iimt to effect,” concluded Mr. Jessep. “In th® meantime the Unemployment Board was working in close touch with the depart-; ments of Public Works, Lands, Lands Development and State Advances to eoordinate the forces and save overlapping”