DEPRESSED AREAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 277, 23 November 1936, Page 7

DEPRESSED AREAS

Makinp- Conditions Better GOVERNMENT'S DUTY NO SINGLE SOLUTION [ British Official Wireless. J RUGBY, Nov. 30. The King’s visit to South Wales has ’ again focused attention on the situI ation in the depressed areas, and bi c ' outspoken concern for their restoration to active life has evoked an im- ; mediate public response. The visit coincided with a debate ' on the subject in the House of Commons and with speeches by Ministers and others which have served to prevent the more prosperous parts ot ' the country from overlooking the ; hardships that have fallen upon South Wales. The Government had already announced a new examination of the ’ industrial problems of these special areas, with particular reference to the ' proposals of the Commissioner. ! The Chancellor of the Exchequer. • Mr. Neville Chamberlain, in a speech ; I last night at Leeds, made special (reference to the subject. He pointed ’ I cut that already, by various schemes started in these areas, the Government had undertaken commitments which would total over £8,000,000, but the difficulty, ho said, was not a money difficulty but fhat of so spending the money as would effectively and rapidly achieve the Government’s purpose. There was no single solution, and the Government was trying ail possible methods by improving and expanding old industries and bringing new industries into the areas, and by transferring labour. Continuous Study. When all that was done, he said, there would remain some for whom there was no work and who could not move. It was the Government's duty to try to make conditions better for these people. The Government was continuously studying the situation and would not confine itself to the proposals now advanced by the Commissioner. The Times, which calls for prompt and adequate Government measures, notes that in several parts of the special areas unemployment has decreased owing to the general revival of industry and the distribution ol Government orders. Transference, it adds, has taken nearly 16,000 men, 7000* women, 6400 boys, and 4600 girls out of the depresesd areas in the first nine months of the current year. Iffic new Bill to amend the Act is to be passed, if possible, before March.