UNEMPLOYMENT—A SUGGESTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 90, 16 April 1929, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT—A SUGGESTION

Sir, — Winter is hero again with the prospect of a large army of unemployed and Government pledges to find work for all don’t seem as if they are going to be fulfilled. The Government’s policy seems to be to look to the towns to find work useful or ornamental, and then subsidise such work, and as a taxpayer, the farmer, has to bear his share of such subsidy so the land should be entitled to the same treatment as the towns. Such a subsidy would encourage the farmer to improve his land, and give work to thousands of suitable men, especially in the deteriorated lands area; and would be the means of improving such lands and benefit production. rinding work for the unemployed is a very small problem, it’s the finding the money to undertake non-productive work which is the problem that faces the back-block settler, as, owing to the high cost of labour and the uncertain markets, only immediately productive work has been carried on. and the accumulation of years of left over work, ending in deteriorated lands, would keep all the able-bodied men in the country on full time. With a subsidy guaranteed, good wages could be paid and suitable mon could be had, if, on application, the class of work to be done was stated. All subsidised work to bo either contract or by the hour and the farmer being responsible for half wages, would be a guarantee that the subsidy would be spent to the advantage of the country. To carry-the full burden of necessary improvements would put most framers off their land, but with a subsidy guaranteed I could, myself alone, employ four men for three months.— Yours, etc., FARMER. Ohingaiti, April 13, 1929,