UNEMPLOYMENT

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 73, 29 April 1930, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT

POSITION FULLY DISCUSSED. HASTINGS CHAMBER OF COM- ! MERCE MEETS. A speeial meeting of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce was held Iast night for the purpose of considering in general the unemployment problem and" also the report on the position presented to the Iast meeting by a speeial sub-committee. This report, which was an exceptionally lengthv document, has alreacly been published in full in the Daily Telegraph. The president, IMr J. S:. McLeod, was in the chair. Mr H. R. Frencli, conyener of tlie sub-committee, who submitted the report, said that copies of the report liad been sent to the Government, two members of Parliament and three editors of newspapers. The editor of the Auckland Star replied that his iournal had editorially commented on the report, and Mr'Fletcher, of the Fletclier Constructing Company, had replied that the suggestions were on the right lines. The Ho'n. J. B. Donald had also replied in terms complimentaiy to the report. Mr French stated that the associated banks were now working on a seheme to nationalise- industries. He moved tliat the report be received and that the summaries be taken as resolutions. The summaries were as follows : — WHAT IS PROPOSED. , "A board of competent men be set up to arrange a works programme, witli Government departments, local bodies and prigate employers to hold baclc as much of their unskilled work as is possible for the slack periods. "Tliat such. board be empowered to take over, under satisfactory arrangements, deteriorated or unimproved land, and to arrange if possible for private enterprise to brin^ such land into full production and to make such concessions as will ensure a reasonable return for such outlay. "To provide reasonable advice and assistance to enable workers to take up small lots on conditions that would ensure at least fair success for an average man. "To encourage a co-operative fund for employment insurance in each separate group of industries as a preparator.y experiment before /detemining upon the adoption of either a flat rate levy or a national scheme of unemployment insurance. "Generally to further study the various- aspects of unemployment and to carry out experiments with a fixed hunch of cost that will increase the opportunities »of the unemployed to obtain reproductive work."

WHAT IS NECESSARY. In regard to the first recommendation Mr. French said that some co-or-dination Was necessary in the organisation of available employment. -He said that the whole issue was tremendous in its importance and unless it was taken hold of, we would be swamped. He moved the first recommendation. This was seconded by Mr. "W. C-.- . Whitloek. - • Mr. G. A. Maddison said that the appointment of the board was a most important factor. Some three years ago, the . Mayor of Wellington had brought down a scheme for closer eooperatin hetween the Government and local bodies. No doubt a lot of money had been wasted on unemployment and the constitution of the board was most essential to control the position. In his opinion o"e of the main causes of unemplo'yment was the incidence or taxation, and if this was altered and every man paid accorditig to his eapacity to pay. there Would not he much unemployment in New Zealand. _ Mr French moved the adoption of the second recommendation and in answer to Mr IVTaddison said that the boaird ishonld have pQWer to throw open its doors wide to increase pro-

duction. Mr Whitloek suggested that this was really a function for the Lands Department. _ The 'board should have power to advise and assist, but should not he empowered to talre over the land. . Mr French poirited out that this was purely a recommendation. Mr Whitloek said that the Government already did its best to meet this position. . Mr French: And still the land deteriorates. Mr F. E. Smith said that the £1500 advanced by the Government or even £2000 was useless in country such as the Nuhaka district. The Government should be induced to open the land and jrive it to a man free. > Then when the land was broken-in, it would be revenue producing to the country. To try and make the land payable with .unemployed would be a very costly proposition.

NATURAL QUTCOME. Mr French said that the recommendation was simply an enlargement on the Government proposals and a suggestion that it should be given to private enterprise. Mr Smith said there should he a board for each land district, comprised of men who knew what each part of the country would do. The president said that this would "be' a hafural outcoine. of the main. "hoard. Mr Maddison suggested that the recommendation be altered to ' read, "That the Lands Department; oh the recommendation of the board, be em-. powered, etc." The president said that there were many acres in New Zealand which were useless. If the Government gave a security of tenure, freedom from taxation, and people were given a reasonable chance to get a return for their money, all land worth oceupying would immediately be taken over by private enterprise. Mr French: That is just what was in the minds of the committee. The chairman suggested that the resolution might read, "That the board urge that the Government offer such security of tenure and relief from taxation to encourage the investment of private cepital fer the occupation of unimproved lands and lands that have been deteriorated." ' . This was seconded by Mr Smith and carried. ' .. . . . „ The ' third' recommendation; was adopted " without discussion. In regard to numb'er four, Mr .French said that in England there were industries bearing the burden of ot?ier unorganised industries. In New Zealand :a national insurance should not he needed. ' He moved the adoption of the recommendation. ' Mr Whitloek seconded the recommendation With .the i'nchision of ihe

world "voluntary" before the word "co-operative." This was agreed to. SPECIAL VOTE OF THANKS. Concerning number five, Mr French pointed out that edible seaweed was exported a lot from Japan. Such experiments as these might be carried out in New Zealand. The recommendation was adopted. A speeial vote of thanks was passed to the committee for their work in eompiling the report. In this connection Mr H. R. French was the reeipient of an extra word of' praise for his arduous work. Mr French, in replv, saicl the business men had to face this problem, which was so grave that if it were not dealt with New Zealand would find itself in a bad way. Mr Maddison then moved that a letter be sent to the Minister of Lands inquiring what steps have. been taken to acquire land in the neighbourhood of Hastings. The position of Hastings to-day, he said, was due to the closer settlement of Mahora, mostly bv retired seasonal workers, particularly freezing workers, and there was no doubt "that closer settlement opened an avenue for the relief of unemployment, as vell as made for the progres* of fhe town. This was seconded by Mr Smith and camied. Tn fnrther connection with the committee' s proposals, Mr Whitloek moved that the local governing body in each town, set up a department to function as a labour exchange, apart from the Government Labour Office, such work t,-. be reimbursed by the Government. Tt was not seconded. Mr Whitloek referred to the sustenance fund as proposed by the unemployment board. He said that this meant the raismg of £700,000 by taxation and it would come /rom the industries. After all it was really a dole and he thought the money could be raised in another way, by a luxury tax for instance. He moved that this recommendation be not supported. Mr French said that the chamber had achieved the same object with its fourth recommendation which had already heen carried. Mr Maddison was in favour of a luxury tax and also an increased tax on all but British goods. Mr Whitloek made his motion read to embrace the suggestion of the luxury tax and increased taxation on foreign imports. He pointed out that cases of dire distress could be relieved by local effort. The motion was carried.