ROTARY CONFERENCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18536, 5 April 1930, Page 19 (Supplement)

ROTARY CONFERENCE

UNEMPLOYMENT CONSIDERED. By Telegraph—Press Association. THE CHATEAU, April 4. The Rotary Conference resumed to-day. Reports from groups were presented. That all Rotarians should again be urged to give earnest consideration to the problem of unemployment, was a recommendation from the Community Service. Mr C. E. Jones (chairman) said alleviation measures alone were insufficient, for work was wanted. There was nothing more depressing than for a man willing to work being unable to get it. They should put forward some plan to absorb all labour for the next five years and this could be done by the vigorous prosecution of the highways scheme.

Mr Voider (Hamilton) said the subject had not been dealt with comprehensively by the Rotary international, and .suggested a recommendation that it should set up a scientific researca committee into unemplo3unent. His own idea was that during the past quarter of a century capacity for production enormously increased, while capacity for transport had been stationary. Mr Martin (Wellington) remarked that the comprehensive reoort of the ommittee set up by Parliament was comprehensive and constructive. Mr Charles Rhodes advised caution and considered the resolution cf the last conference met the case. Personally, he thought the resolution would not reduce wages.

Another recommendation of the same group was that members should encourage juniors in their employ by helpful conversation and advice. Mr Jones urged that a fatherly interest should be taken into juniors’ work, pursuits, and personal lives. Towards the close of the afternoon session, Mr Elgin Stoddard, on behalf of the ’Frisco Club, presented an American flag to the Dunedin Club. Mr H. J. Guthrie. Dunedin president, receiving it on behalf of his Club. The conference ball was held in the evening, and was a brilliant function.