UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 September 1929, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

NEXT SESSION’S BILL

NOT A BELIEF FUND

WELLINGTON, Sept. 3

Insurance against unemployment will definitely he introduced by the Government next session. In making thus announcement in the House tonight the Hon T. M. Wiiford, Minister of Justice, stated that meantime all evidence and statistics were being gathered so that a Bill of value to the country could be introduced. Personally lie had looked on unemployment insurance payment as a dole, but on his last visit to England he obtained important statist.es from official sources, which showed that instead of this assistance to unemployed workers being a dole it was nothing of the kind. It was the people’s own insurance, and the figures would convince the most doubting.

They had been told that the man on the dole was often satisfieckto stay on it, but that was not general. , Wasters could be found everywhere, but the great majority of workers preferred to earn their full wage. The receipts of the unemployment insurance fund in England in one year were 4,7 millions contributed by employers, 1'23 millions from, workers and 95 millions from the Government, while 47 millions were lent. The experience of the year, 1924 was that employers’ and employees’ contributions paid the full sums needed for benefit.

lures important points differentiated the system from ordinary charitable relief—its insurance its Operation in connection with employment exchanges, not relief organisations, and the character of the contribution made u y the community generally. It was insurance, not a fund for scattering relief broadcast. He believed the contribution from New Zealand workers could be higher than English rates, and it followed fhat the benefit would be greater. . Air Parry (Auckland Central): What about a short Bid this session? Air Wiiford replied that he had looked through the Bill introduced by the member for Wellington Central, but it had some defects and he was submitting a Bill based on English and other measures as soon as he could get it going but the law draftsman was so busy on the Land Bill anti taxing Bills that it was impossible to get him to tackle anything further. “He is up to the byes in most complicated and novel legislation which will go a long way towards alleviating unemployment’’ said Air Wiiford. “We are going to tackle it seriously, though it may only deal with: the fringe pf the subject this session, but I am sincerely of bpinion that.the legislative programme of the Government, if placed on the statute book, will do more than provide temporary employment; it will help to solve a great deal of the problem, and —at will be achieved in the Land Laws Amendment Bill, which members will shortly see.

“We are absolutely genuine,” coneluded the ATinister. “We may not succeed but .we are really trying.”