CENSURE MOTION.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20540, 15 February 1935, Page 7

CENSURE MOTION.

British Labour’s Attack on Government. UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. United Press Assn.—By* Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received February 35, 2.35 p.m.) LONDON, February 14. In the House of Commons, Mr George Lansbury, in moving Labour’s censure motion regarding unemployment relief, said that despite the Government’s optimism there were now one-third more people who had been unemployed for over a year than in 1931. The figures of pauperism had risen from 369 in 10,000 of the population in 1931 to 482, while outside the Poor Law and Unemployment Insurance there was increased unemployment in the black-coated workers, which had added hundreds of thousands to the total. As there were actually 2,250,000 unemployed, there was no ground for the Government’s claim of a victory over unemployment. The Government had failed to recognise that the present economic system had broken down. MR MACDONALD’S REPLY. Ready to Co-operate With Opposition. British Official Wireless. (Received February 16, 2.30 p.m.) RUGBY, February 14. The Prime Minister spoke in the House of Commons debate on unemployment, which arose on the censure motion moved by Mr George Lansbur3\ the Opposition Leader. Mr Lansbury criticised in particular the operation of the Unemployment Board, stating that a central bureaucracy had been set up in such haste that neither those who framed nor those who administered it really understood it. The Prime Minister said that it would be better if the Opposition, instead of criticising, would co-operate with the Government in devising practical schemes to deal with the problem. The Government would accept with alacrity any proposals, provided they were definitely constructive. The Government aimed at getting the unemployed back into industry. Efforts had been made during the last few days to create a feeling of uncertainty, and statements had been made without a shadow of foundation, and apparently more for financial than for political purposes. He cited the continued expansion of the steel trade, and said that 1934 had been the best coal vesr since 1930. The negotiations proceeding with other countries promised further reductions in the number of unemployed, and stock markets were in a buoyant mood throughout to-day, in strict contrast to the previous few days. The satisfactory figures of the trade returns were largely responsible.