THE UNEMPLOYED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1932, Page 8

THE UNEMPLOYED

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE. WELLINGTON, April 5. The fact that relief works in city areas are practically exhausted and local authorities are displaying grave concern 'for the outlook during the coming winter was revealed by the: Rt. Hon. J. G, Coates, who, speaking in the House of Representatives 'this afternoon, came to grips several times with Labour members, whom he accused of abusing the Government withoih offering constructive suggestions'!,.'for the .solutidh of’ 'the unemployment "problem. It would take local bodies all their time to pi’oyjde even reasonable work for unemployed men, ho said. All outstanding work had been caught up with so far as programmes of construction and other jobs were concerned, and there was nothing to look for as an .avenue for the use of the unemployed in ■future.

Mr J. A. Lee (Lab., Grey Lynn) : Increase purchasing power. Mr Coates: That will not lead very far. It cannot be applied to practical life, although it sounds all right to those whom ib suits.

Mr Coates added that he had not beard any practicable suggestions other than those in his scheme.

Mr J. O’Brien (Lab., Westland) Settle the land.

■/Mr Coates : That is what we are frying to do. It is productive industry. Mr O’Brien: You are only playing wft/li it. Mr Coates : It is one thing to criticise and another, to bring forward constructive proposals.

Mr Carr : Can you tell me when the Government is likely to escape from its present clodhopper complex ?

Mr Coates : Abuse is a common method of attack. -I ask members to view this problem in its serious aspect, but the last suggestion I heard from the member for Timaru was that we might keep men going by picking up dry bones from paddocks.

Mr Carr : You did not hear that from me.

A little later Mr Coates was again at grips with Labour members, charging them with inactivity except by destructive' criticism. “Members can talk of bankruptcy of imagination and boneheads and so on.” he said, “but this is merely personal abuse. It sounds all right to the audience it is being spoken to, but it does not help to solve our problem.'” While Mr Coates. was .speaking of women unemployed, Mr H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, asked if he were going to give women the same benefit's as men under the scheme, seeing that they paid the same 'T'hx.

Mr Coates said women benefited by the Board assisting the organisations whose advice was given to the Unemployment Board. Mr H. T. Armstrong (Lab., Christchurch East): Do you take their advice ? Mr Coa|te.R: Yes.

Mr Armstrong: Nonsense. Mr Coates: lam sorry I went to the trouble to explain , this question, but T speak with knowledge of the situation.