ACTION NEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1932, Page 11

ACTION NEEDED

MR. SULLIVAN'S PLEA

PROVISION FOR UNEM.

PLOYED

An appeal to the Government to take steps for the relief of the unemployed was made in the House of Bepresentatives yesterday afternoon by Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour,' Avon).

Mr. Sullivan criticised the recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission's report in regard to the provision of outdoor relief, and •said that the local bodies had cjone all that was asked of them, to assist the Government in the way of making provision for the unemployed. They had involved themselves in very heaivy expense, and apparently they were to be rewarded by having fees which should normally' go to them appropriated by the Government.

It was hopeless, continued Mr. Sullivan, to appeal to the Government to do anything for the workers, but he expressed the hope that they would take an example from what was being done in Britain. Alterations to the monetary system would not alone solve the problem; a great dealmdre than that was required to be done. However, if the Government of New Zealand had the courage and the capacity to do the things that could be done in connection with the monetary system, at least employment would be provided, which was preferable to the country drifting from bad to worse. Mr. Sullivan criticised the Government's deflation policy and referred to the Prime Minister's statement that reduced wages would result in more workers' being placed in industry. It must be obvious to every; body that the Prime Minister's words had been-falsified. Mr. Speaker: Order! Mr. Sullivan said he was not suggesting that the Prime Minister had lied, but that his policy haa been "all at sea," Surely the time had arrived when the Government should try and devise a. constructive policy and think of a method that would help 'the people. . The debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr. W. A, Bodkin (Government, Central Otago).