The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 16, 1927. THE DOLE AND THE POOH.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 March 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 16, 1927. THE DOLE AND THE POOH.

I“I was struck with the statement made by the Roman Catholic Archbishop ol' Westminster. Cardinal Bourne,” added Sir Thomas MacKenzie. “Speaking of the dole question, the Cardinal remarked that a good deal was once said concerning the idle rich, hut the phrase had now changed to ‘the idle poor.’ The strange part is that men are receiving money, and can receive it only so long as they do nothing. Thus we have the anomaly that while farmers are unable to pay for Inhour to clear their land of weeds, and while the building and maintenance of roads 1 1 ;i,s to go on. men are receiving the dole and forced to remain. idle.” The dole at Home is surely not fulfilling its object when conditions such as the foregoing result. Following the views of Sir Thomas M'arKenzie from actual observation, we have the mind of General Booth, whose opinion was broadcasted by cable message this week. He said : “The number of young people who are unemployed is a most perplexing and most challenging problem to-day. It is with me night and day. lam not such a fool as to think that emigration will provide a complete remedy, hut when T think of vacant land and opportunities in the Dominions. I fee! that the Empire must he going a little mad not to make use of these workless youngsters.” This rising army, it may he inferred, will also l>e on the dole, an army of poor workless youngsters ! It is certainly a question for the gravest consideration. The matter touches home here when we consider the number of unemployed growing no in the Dominion. It,, too, is an increasing number, and there is an insistent demand for relief. The Government is endeavouring to meet the position with relief works, hut is being sharply crit.i-

ci-ed for the wages olfcrcd. It would appear that the class of which is unemployed is largely ot a pool quality. Probably something akin to the workless army General Booth refers to, or those on the dele at Home ni'-iit killed by the Archbishop. A para-

graph in the Argus this week gives colour to that idea. The item was as follows:- “It js stated that West < 'oast |real bodies have been sounded as to the possibility of their absorbing any of flie unemployed trout tile East Coast. It is also stated that, while it would he an excellent step to open up tracks in some of the Wist ■Coast baekhlorks. giving acce-s to settlers, it is doubtful if the class of men seeking verk in the larger centres woilhl 1 <■ sailed lor sueli work. ’ Here is the plain indication that the quality of the labour is deficient, and that- suggests whv the Government considered it economical to vary Ibe rate o| wages. A reduction of wages where value is given for flu' standard rate would !o indefensible. bill when the class e.| labor is not equal to earning the higher rates, no country could a I ford to give an inllated wage. The national loss would be inevitable. The removal of the unemployed trouble will not be brought about effect ive'v by artificial methods. The Government must come forward with policy proposals to meet the situation. The freeing of trade is one wav. .lust as the dairy control methods have exploded by force of circumstances so tile freeing of the timber trade should come to pass by the removal of export resi-riet ions and so enable one section of the trade- a most important section —to rehabilitate itself. More trade will involve more employment, and assist to clean up the ranks of unemployment by offering legitimate wages, and not something as a palliative. More should be done In encourage settlement on the land. More must lie done in that direction f r laud seUle.meat is at a standstill, and that should not be in a young country like this which has more definite aspirations. In short, the Government must eome down to earth to seek to govern hv legitimate means as a Parliament, and not through regulations and Boards, which have already brought our form of Government into contempt. There iwork, and plenty, ahead of the Government to redeem itself before the people during the next two sessions.