EARLY CHANGE POSSIBLE

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1934, Page 4

EARLY CHANGE POSSIBLE

CONTROL OF UNEMPLOYMENT REORGANISATION SUGGESTED. DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN RESIGNS. SINGLE HEAD A POSSIBILITY. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. It is possible that within the next few months there will be a reorganisation of the Unemployment Board. Nothing has yet been derided, but the resignation of the deputy-chairman (Mr. J. S. Jessep) has caused a vacancy on the board, and the whole question whether the board as at present constituted is the best method of dealing with the problem is bound to come before the Government for consideration. The appointment of a successor to Mr. Jessep has not yet been considered, as his resignation was received by the Prime Minister only late this afternoon. The Unemployment Board prior to Mr. Jessep’s resignation consisted of the Minister of Employment (Hon. Adam Hamilton), Messrs. Jessep, Walter Bromley, and P. R. Climie. For many months Messrs. Jessep and Bromley have devoted the whole of their time to the work of the board and have travelled through the length and breadth of the Dominion to study every aspect of the situation.

The decrease in the number of unemployed as compared with the same period last year has tended to ease the board’s position, but the next three months will give a real indication whether more permanent work has been found. In the past years the period from July to October had been .the worst, the numbers swelling rapidly in those months. If the decrease continues there is every prospect of serious consideration being given to a complete overhaul of the organisation of the board and its machinery. It is possible that when the Government considers the question of appointing a successor to Mr. Jessep it will have before it a proposal to alter the present system of having a board in control, and will replace it by one individual, who will have all the powers of the board but will be under the control of the Minister. No .indication of the Government’s policy in the matter could be given to-night by Mr. Hamilton, who pointed out that Mr. Jessep’s resignation had just been received and that he had not had an opportunity of considering the subject. He added, however, that it was possible there would be an amendment to the Unemployment Act brought before the House this session.