The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1930. WANTED: A NATIONAL EFFORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1930. WANTED: A NATIONAL EFFORT.

The prevailing degree of unemployment is a matter for very serious concern. 1 lie problem has been considered from many angles, and relief has been attempted in many ways. The political parties have not solved the trouble of unemployment, a,nd the general issue is such that the matter is now a ease for everyone’s consideration. Yet nothing very helpful 'is offered. The Government and local bodies havo alike striven to meet a congested situation but those efforts, general and considerable, though they were, have been little more than temporising. Once the effort has flagged through the money and the jobs ending, the same critical condition again presents Pself, and the problem continues ever present. This experience is universal. In all parts of the world there, is lacking the 7 complete cure! Yet surely there might be such an organisation of local and general forces that a way out could and should be found. Here is something which might be described as everybody’s business. The suggestion made by the GovernorGeneral—so characteristic of the man —that the-best’-brains of the country, irrespective of patty or class, should meet in conference to devise remedies lor unemploinent, comes at the beginning of a yepr that, unfortunately, does not promise to be much better in this respect tnan was 1929, Indeed it is possible that, with declining values for' our- produce, the winter of i 960 may be worse than, that of las' year. Nor is unemployment any longer largely a seasonal condition. It is with us all the year. The statement by the Mayor of Wellington, that neither the Wellington City Council nor any other local body will be able to provide in the future relief works on tbe scale of the past winter, is a reminder that unemployment is primarily a national problem, and that it is likely to be with us indefinitely. The Governor-General’s,,appeal is a call to national effort. No one is in so good ai position to make this suggestion. Sir • Charles Fergusson stands outside politics, but everybody knows how keen has been his interest in our problems. He pays us the compliment of saying that in some countries it would be futile to. suggest such a round-table conference, for the success of which a spirit of give and take is essential, but lie believes it to be practicable in New Zealand. There is a precedent in the Industrial Conference, where representatives of Capital and Labour, business men ancl economists, sat round the same table to their mutual benefit and that of the country. The conference that Sir Charles Fergusson has in mind would be wider even than this. The Auckland Star would respectfully demur to one particular. Politicians, it thinks, should be excluded, for if they attended it would be impossible to keep party considerations out of tbe discussion. Their duty would be to consider the recommendations of the conference-and frame the necessary legislation. The unemployment problem is economic. A gathering of representatives of all interests, Labour and Capital, town and country, business men and professional men, should bo made to agree upon certain remedial measures. Even if such recommendations fell short of expectations, much good would result from the exchange of ideas in the conference room. Such a conference, however, must be approached in tbe right spirit-—a. genuine desire to promote the good of the foiint.vv, and not to snatch advantage for party or class.