PUBLIC WORKS AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 116, 2 June 1937, Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS AND UNEMPLOYMENT

Evidence that the Government is approaehing the second stage of its poliey is accumulating rapidly. The ofi'icial organ of the Labour Party has stated that the formation work on some xailway aud other large undertakings is ueariug an end. "The Minister, it is understood, is now putting the finishing touches on a plan which will result \in the provisioBi, of further work for those men wko have given such splehdid service to the community. As a result further necessary public works will probably be put in hand at an early date." The Government has claimed credit for providing employment for some 18,000 men public works and the Labour jouTual states that 1 'the Minister has repeatedly declared his intention to keep together the fine body of experienced Public Works men which has been built up since the Labour Administration qame into office.'' That assumes that there will be a poliey capable of permanently employing up to 18,000 men. It may be admitted that, iu a timo of industrial depression5 iho provision of employment on public works may be as good a way as any of affording temporary employment for able_bodied men and, in tho light of experience, the previous Government may have laid itself open to criticism when it suddenly contracted its works programme. But that can be granted without making any admission that an active works poliey can cure unemployment. The experience of other countries has shown that the course is impracticable. Once the job has been finished either the men engaged must be put off and so swell the ranks of. the unemployed once more, or some other undertaking must be found simply in order to keep them occupied. That is the position developing in the second stage of the Government 's rOcord of office. Work of this nature is a palliativo and not a cure. The problem will reeur again and again as various works are finished. The timo must come when the continuiance iu employment of a fine body oi' 1S,000 experienced ruen will itself be a prsesing problem. The only sound solution lies in absorption into produetive industry. ^