The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, September 14, 1937. A CONTRAST.

Grey River Argus, 14 September 1937, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, September 14, 1937. A CONTRAST.

.. While il may be regrettable that uni’ trade balance is adverse in the ease of Australia. Ihe disparity is attributable partly to I the economic policy of that conn- , try. Ils own industries have I long been fostered by t a rill, pro- ; lection and have in many cases reached a stage of development enabling them to compete upon our market. It has been a plank of the policy of Labour in Australia that industrial activity affording employment on a large scale shall be promoted, ami m due time the Government will in New Zealand, use appropriate i means to attain a similar result. | Nevertheless, a good deal has already been done since this Government took over to place more people in employment, and this through industrial expansion. There arc to-day more people working in the Dominion than there have been at any time tot the past seven years. Last year saw an increase of no less than 18 per cent, in the total of wages ami salaries paid, while in the aggregate the workers alone received last year fifteen million pounds more* than they were paid during the best year of the depression period. The assessable income of individuals hist year rose from .£47,000,000 to £53,500,000, or an increase of twelve per cent. In addition to the foregoing facts, it might be mentioned that the number of persons in receipt of pensions was increased by twenty thousand to a total in excess of one hundred thousand. "While the previous Government had nothing better to show than a gradual growth in the number of unemployed, this Government has reduced the total of 54,238 unemployed at July 4, 11)35, to 37.546 as at July 3, of the present year. As showing the trend of unemployment, it might be recalled that on May 1, 1931, there were. 17.698 workers registered as unemployed in New Zealand, whilst in a little more, than six months the registers contained the names of 48.795 as needing work. Ln the meantime, wages were being reduced, and by September. 1932, the number on the unemployment registers had risen to 56,499. Ten months later there were 57,352 registered, these comprising the male unemployed only. The latest Year Book shows that the total on the register or a charge on the Unemployment Fund grew from 51,000 in the middle, of 1931 to almost 80,000 by September, 1933. and in 1934 it was estimated that, including the female, unemployed, the total had reached no fewer than one hundred thousand, which total did not include about thirty thousand more who were partially unemployed. To-day the demand for labour in not a lew avenues of industry is in excess of the supply. Oi )e fundamental principle goes further than any other to explain the transformation. It is the Government’s policy of raising the general standard of living. r l he wage reduction measures only intensified the depression, as was to have been expected when it is remembered that three-fifths of the total purchasing power of the community comes from wages and salaries.