PUBLICITY SCHEME

Waipa Post, Volume 43, Issue 3328, 28 July 1931, Page 5

PUBLICITY SCHEME

FOSTERING DOMINION’S INDUSTRIES. UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD’S 3 ATTITUDE. Last month' Te Awamutu branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union recorded its protest against the Unemh ployment Board providing any of its funds to aid in an advertising campaign on behalf of secondary industries. At last Saturday’s meeting of the branch the following letter from the Hon. S. G. Smith, chairman of the Unemployment Board, was read:— The Prime Minister has refererd to me your letter embodying a protest by your branch of the Farmers’ Union against the use of the Unemployment Board’s funds in aid of an advertising campaign on behalf of secondary industries.

I note your branch’s objection that “ funds raised for a specific purpose should be diverted,” etc., but I desire to remind you that one of the chief functions of the Unemployment Board, as detailed in section 17 of the Unemployment Act, is “ to take such steps as in accordance with this Act it considers necessary to promote the growth of primary and secondary industires in New Zealand, so that an increasing number of workers will be required for the efficient carrying on of those industries.”

In compliance with the direction outlined in this section, the Unemployment Board has authorised an expenditure of £85,468 on behalf of the primary industries (£78,000 for the scheme 4a and £7468 for 4b); and probably it is no exaggeration to assert that every pound of that large amount has been of direct benefit to individual farmers and to the community generally. Up to the present time the Board’s commitment on account of the secondary industries consists of £BOO, and that sum will be expended by the Industries, Commerce, and Publicity Department.

It is relevant here to point out that the object of the Boai’d in suggesting this propaganda was to endeavour to stimulate the secondary industries, so that the employees who had been put off should be re-absorbed in their usual occupations. The latest detailed statistics regarding the occupations of the unemployed show that of the total number of workless over 12,000 were from the secondary industries, and the Unemployment Board considered that if these people could be reinstated as a result of the Increased demand for New Zealand goods it would constitute a considerable step toward a solution of the unemployment problem. Because the Manufacturers’ Association will benefit indirectly from the propaganda it was asked to contribute £4OO toward the cost, and this amount will also be handled by the Industries, Commerce, and Publicity Department. I trust that these facts will serve to convince the members of your branch that the action of the Unemployment Boai’d in authorising the expenditure of the sum of £BOO for the benefit of the secondary industries was not the “ iniquitous proceeding” or the “lamentable proposition” you have described it, but was simply in keeping with its authorisation of £85,000 in the interests of the industry for which the Farmers’ Union is the able advocate.

A reply is to be drafted by the secretary, and forwarded to the Unemployment Board.