The Unemployed.

White Ribbon, Volume 2, Issue 23, 1 May 1897, Page 2

The Unemployed.

Mrs Bullock (of Wanganui) read a paper on “ The Unemployed Evil, a State problem ; some suggestions as to its gradual eradication." She divided her subject into five sections, dealing in the first place with the reality, übiquity, magnitude, intensity, and urger.cy, of the unemployed phase of the great industrial problem as it existed to-day in Great Britain and AmericaThen she dealt with the causes of the

evil; thirdly, with humanitarian efforts and new views of State functions; fourthly, with the unemployed in Australia and New Zealand ; and finally, she suggested ways in which the unemployed labour forces might be utilised with advantage to themselves and profit to the State. In dealing with the last section of her subject she suggested that the Government should establish co-operative industrial settlements under State control as a means of dealing with the unemployed diffi* i cuhy. Well managed, she said, these would be cheaper than charitable aid institutions. We wanted to nationalise ou r great natural resources. That done, let us call upon the Government to develop them in the interests of the people. It might be said that took money. It took money, indeed, but it ought to spell prosperity. The monev expended ought to be money invested, and should return handsome profits to the coffers of the State. The development of our natural resources would afford employment to all our healthy surplus labour for generations. As for the money, the English market was glutted with it. Let the Government boldly announce an industrial policy and borrow the money to carry it on; but the policy must l* well matured, and no unremunerative works should be started as temporary expedients. Let us have no 44 undesirable immigrants,” unless advocates of their admission were prepared to throw open their own doors to beggars. In order that the State might be more a permanent employer of labour, an immediate and complete stop should l* made to the alienation of Crown lands. These should continually bt in process of clearing for cultivation and occupation, and increased facilities should l>c afforded for settlement upon them of the hard working poor. State farms should be multiplied and forestry encouraged. A great forestry department worked on reproductive lines might provide permanent employment for an immense number of people. Another means of reducing the unemployed difficulty was by increasing the powers and functions of municipal bodies. Whv not make every municipality responsible for a defined proportion of its own unemployed population ? In that case up-to-date Inxiies would soon be found establishing industries for the absorption of these.