THE UNEMPLOYED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 270, 15 November 1932, Page 7

THE UNEMPLOYED

ABSORPTION ON LAND AN IMPORTANT SCHEME CONFERENCE BEING HELD • WELLINGTON, Nov. 14. i Significance attaches to the confer once the Right Hon. J. G. Coateg ii 1 holding to day with representatives of different Departments of State in relai tion to thc formation of fresh land settlement schemes for the absorption - of the unemployed. L ft was pointed out last w r eek that in » view of the danger of existing mensi* ures collapsing under their own weight, ? Mr. Coates was spending long hours i considering possible alternatives with 3 the object of launching a plan much , more comprehensive in its scope than 1 tho ten-acre farm project. On alternative under review at this morning’s • conference was the adoption of a pro--3 posal concerning the resumption of ■ lands which have been forfeited by i State mortgages or have reached a stage where surrender, either voiunj tary or compulsory, is imminent. The j proposal is that fresh settlers should 1 be financed on to these holdings b.v . subsidies from the Uncniploymenl 1 Fund. < A definite declaration of policy or ; immediate aspects of the problem will 1 be made at an early date. 3 Regarding the relief of the uncm- » pluyed generally, there are good grounds lor believing that an en- » dcavour will be made either by exist* [ ing or new schemes, to conserve expen• ’ diture during the summer with the object of creating a reserve fund which ■ can be drawn upon to meet require > ments in the winter. , The conference is regarded by Mr. i Coates as being one of the most imr portant, if not the most important, of i its kind since unemployment in New . Zealand became a chronic problem. Those present included the ActingMinister of Employment (the Hou. A. • Hamilton), the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. C. E. Macmillan), the dep-uty-chairman of the Unemployment Board (Mr. J. 8. Jessep), the Undersecretary of the Public Works Department (Mr. C. J. McKenzie), the Public Service Commissioner (Mr. P. Vcrschaffclt), thc Assistant Secretary to tho Treasury (Mr. G. C. Rodda), the Under-Secretary of the Lands Depart ment (Mr. J. Robertson), the Director* General of Agriculture (Dr. C. J. Keakes), Mr. J. Snell (Commissioner of Intermediate Credit), Mr. O. N. Campbell (Crown Lands Commissioner, North Auckland), and other officials from the Lands. Agriculture, Public Works, Public Trust, Treasury, State Advances, and State Insurance Departments. A Unanimous Decision “i have come definitely to the conclusion that thc solution to the problem lies along the path of land settlement,’’ said Mr. Coates, when commenting on the position after the adjournment this afternoon. “The personnel of the conference represents the best brains we have gut in our departments, and they have been told that they cannot leave my room until they reach a unanimous decision.” Mr. Coates added that since his return from Ottawa he had been working day and night on the preparation of material for submission to the conference, and he was determined that finality would be reached on the present occasion. The schemes before the conference related to land settlement, and he was satisfied that they [minted to the direction to be followed in thc permanent absorption of the unemployed. There was to be no beating about the bush, and something concrete would emerge from the deliberations. Mr. Coates visualised the effect on the country’s deadweight debt of the permanent settlement of, say, 5000 families on the land. Thc conference is being continued this afternoon.