Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1928, Page 2

It is a matter for very serious contern that unemployment should be so rife at this period of the year. This is flic season of the year when usually ihe wheels of industry arc working freely and there should be little occasion for unemployed to lie clamouring lor work, or. in the alternative, food. It is a sad reflection on the boasted prosperity of the Dominion that free areals have had to be served in Christ- : liurch. 'There are said to be 500 or !>!)() men unemployed in Christchurch, and strenuous efforts are being made to support them. It is said there are double that number unemployed in Wellington, where strange commentary on the position, a labourers ■strike is in progress. Probably Auckland lias a great number of unomploy■d still, while the Dunedin quota has to be taken into account also. On the figures given out there must he an

army of some 3000 looking for work, with not any immediate opening Impermanent employment. The Government has some proposal in mind for work in the North of Auckland, but the scheme does not appear to be ready. In the slack ti.mo last spring the local bodies of Llie centres did their best to meet local conditions, hut succour from that source cannot he given indefinitely. The position now is so acute apparently, that some definite line of policy must he adopted. tt is fortunate that in localities such as the Coast, the position is not so stringent. While labour is not as plentiful as of yore, praiseworthy efforts have been made to keep the men going as well as possible. Employers of labour, and notably the sawmillers. have done well in that respect and deserve the fullest credit for what has been accomplished, reducing the position to a less serious degree. The Dominion’s problem, however is a. very present one. and will have to lie faced. It is to he hoped with the result of the good wool sales, the general outlook will show some speedy improvement, otherwise the Government must bring down some practical policy of relief to ensure tile general position being eased. The situation is not creditable to the reputation of the Dominion when it goes abroad that tree meals have to be provided for Ihe necessitous. Relief of this nature is too transient, and something more permanent and effective must be done to assist in eliding the trouble.