The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, MAY 4th, 1922. INSURANCE BY INDUSTRIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian THURSDAY, MAY 4th, 1922. INSURANCE BY INDUSTRIES.

Koi.i.owing a n commendation by he Geddcs committee railing attention ,o the possibility of placing unemployment insurance on the Oasis of insurance In industry, the Minister of Labour in Great Hritain Inis sent a letter to the principal employers' associations an.! trade unions directing their attention to the matter with a view to obtaining from those practically engaged ill industry their opinions as to the way in which the problem of unemployment insurance might best be solved. He has pointed out that the dillieulties of making any drastic change in the basis of unemployment insurance are aggravate.l at the moment by the existing ahitoimat unemployment, but he has asked each industry to think out ;l method of dealing with uiUmpluymcnt insurance in their trade, so that the Government may lie in a position to know what are the considered vioys of employers and employed in each industry and may he able to consider any practical proposals which hilly lie phi forward. Dr Mucnamara j>oints out that a readjustment of the methods of unemployment insurance nulst iilvolvt? quo* tioiis connected with arrangements tor securing employment. He also relqys to the fact that the question of the extent to which unemployment instirliiice might he provided for and administered by industries themselves rather tluiil •-.< at present by the Central Government, is one which the Ministry of Labour lias Imd constantly under consideration for some time past, and tiult provision was made in the Unemployment Jnsuruiiee Act of 1920, whereby schemes could be arranged and administered by associations representing the employers and employed in a given industry. Ear various reasons, not the least of whie.i is the great depression in ttiidfi, litcL* use wiis made of the opportunity afforded by the Act, and owiiig to the great financial burden caused by the unp:eeedented unemployment which began towards the end of 1920, it was iiocos-

sarv temporarily to close the door to trades which might otherwise have nr.iposeil special' schemes. The Secretary to the Ministry of Labour announces that as soon as the state of the Central Unemployment Fund permits. Hr McNamara will again welcome and encourage the establishment of schemes for dealing with unemployment insurance on ml industrial basis. In the meantime, it is suggested that the ! adera of industry should consider wba: changes ought to be made in the present arrangements for dealing with Unemployment insurance l , and Dr Macnninara has promised that any proposals submitted to him shall receive the ino-i Sympathetic consideration.