19

H.—llB

The most important feature in connection -with these proposed workers' settlements is the intensive cultivation of the land to produce for consumption in the workers' own home; and, further, there is no reason why a surplus should not be grown for sale. Production both for home consumption and for sale would be largely helped by the provision of glasshouses. These should be provided on table-mortgage terms for those workers who applied for them and could show that they had the necessary knowledge to work them. Efficient intensive cultivation requires knowledge that few people at present have, and instruction would therefore be required. It would be important to see that some members of the proposed voluntary boards or committees were expert gardeners. In addition to this, adequate gardening instruction should always be available. This could be supplied by the appointment of gardening instructors, who would work under the Department of Agriculture. This Department now employs a number of agricultural instructors who do most valuable work amongst farmers. Gardening instructors should be available for consultation by those cultivating gardens in the same way as agricultural instructors are available for farmers. The Department also publishes a very valuable monthly journal for the use of farmers, for which the annual subscription is 6s. A small section of the Journal of Agriculture is now devoted to gardening, but for the purpose recommended by this Committee this is not sufficient. Either the gardening section should be enlarged or a separate monthly journal of gardening should be issued on the same lines as the present Journal of Agriculture. If the subscription could be reduced to start with and kept very low until gardening knowledge became more general, it would be helpful. Originally the annual subscription to the Journal of Agriculture was 2s. 6d., and it remained at this for a good many years. Now the subscription is 6s. When once it was realized what could be produced on half an acre in the workers' spare time with the assistance of his family, and particularly when a glasshouse was available, the knowledge of how to do it would be sought for and would quickly spread. Quite apart from the value of the produce raised in these proposed garden homes, there is the benefit to the rising generation to be considered. Children brought up in these garden settlements would have something of a definite nature to occupy their spare time in a profitable way. Boys and girls alike would acquire a knowledge fitting them to take up land in larger areas, which would enable them to become valuable settlers on small-farm holdings, to the great advantage not only of themselves but of the whole community. The benefit to be derived from such settlements from all points of view are very great, and would not cost the taxpayers anything. The whole expenditure should be returned with interest. (IV) Review of Statistics. In our previous report we gave a table showing the numbers of unemployed as registered with the Labour Department each week from 1921 onwards, and also a table showing the numbers on public works each week for the same period. These tables are brought up to latest date available to us in this report. The figures are given in Table I side by side for the calendar year 1929. In our first report we commented on the outstanding fact that the rapid growth of unemployed registrations in 1926, 1927, 1928, and 1929 were coincident with and accompanied by a much larger and similarly rapid growth in the numbers engaged on public works. The figures now given for the latter portion of 1929 are informative in this connection. It will be observed that, following the Government's undertaking to absorb all unemployed willing to work, there were an abnormal number of registrations in the beginning of October, and that, although these were rapidly reduced by the action taken, the numbers on the registers still continue at a high level in comparison with previous years, despite the increased numbers on public works. The net effect seems to be that numbers who somehow or other were provided for otherwise, are drawn on to public works, while the numbers registering for employment continue much the same. We are convinced that the uneconomic absorption of large numbers on public works is not a remedy for the problem. Only some stimulus to economic activity and renewed confidence permeating through commerce and industry can satisfactorily relieve the situation. In order to obtain some understanding of the nature and extent of the unemployment prevailing, we gave an analysis of those on the unemployed registers for the week Bth July, 1929, in a series of tables in our first report. We now attach a similar series of tables (Nos. 2to 8) for those on the registers in the abnormal peak week of 14th October. These are now briefly summarized. Following on the announcement by the Government that work would be offered to all unemployed registered with the Labour Department, an immediate increase in the number of applicants on the register was recorded, the total applications remaining on the registers rising from 2,466 on 30th September to 4,924 on 7th October and further to 6,264 on 14th October. During the following weeks a considerable number of men were placed, the total number of applicants on the register falling to 5,505 on 21st October, to 4,142 on 28th October, with a steady fall to 1,242 at end of year. In the summarized tables attached showing various classifications of the applicants on the register on 14th October, the details respecting two districts were supplied for 15th October instead of the 14th, which accounts for the total applicants dealt with in the tables being 6,377, instead of 6,264 registered on the 14th. Of the 6,377 men included in the tables, 3,451 were unskilled labourers, representing 54 per cent, of the total. Motor-drivers (346) were next in numerical order, followed by carpenters and joiners (236), clerical workers (189), farm hands (169), storemen and packers (126), and painters and glaziers (107). There were 2,794 single and 3,249 married men included in the total. The classification according to dependency shows that 2,483 men had no dependants; 993, one dependant; 957, two