RELIEF MEASURES

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1932, Page 3

RELIEF MEASURES

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

A COMPLETE SCHEME.

WELLINGTON, April 27. A vigorous defence of the Government’s methods of dealing with the unemployment problem was-made b\ the Right Hon. J. G. Coates i'n 'the House to-day during a debate initiated by Mr Holland, leader of the Opposition. >- Mr Coates claimed that the rebel given in New Zealand was greaior-thnn that given in any other:- country, and lie strongly depreciated the attacks which had been made, on the Govem--1 mc’ii.t'„;,.hoth inside and outside tho House. He admitted that, there wore a number of people in New Zealand who were likely to lie disappointed over., tig? measure of .relief .which the. Government was providing, mainly !?ocaiise the proposals had been misrepre- • seated to them by members of.'the House and others, who did not realise that the finances of the country could not he stretched out as far as they might desire.

I Beside the Point. I The whole question was whether the country was in a position to provide relief) which mifjht- he regarded as liberal. It was all very well to talk about a managed currency, but that was really beside the point. Ho agreed .that the question of currency should lie; considered, hut lie was, hound to point out the dangers that would he involved in any hasty, ill-considered scheme. Any discussion that might takg place at the present time could haye no real effect on their p-esgu-t. problem, that of finding reasonable relief in accordance with, the country js capacity. The assistance New Zealand was proposing to' give under the new schedule was infinitely greater than . was being given in other countries, He asked if it was insisted that in New.. Zealand the Government should pay the sustenance payments provided .or in the Unemployment Act, 21s for a. married man, 17s fid for his wife and 4s for each child? Mr Parry (Labour, Auckland Central): Yes. In lieu of work. I £4 a Week. I Mr Coates: Is it claimed that work I should lie found for every man at £4 a week ? . Mr Parry: Yes. That is your responsibility. Mr Coates: Then I am to take it that it is the policy of tile Labour Party, if they wore in office, they would provide work for every man at £4 a week? Even in the most prosperous times in this country evidence given be ore the Arbitration Con-t time and time again I went to show that the average weekly learning of a general labourer was £2 10s a week. Air Parry: Do you think that is fair? Mr Coates: I can only say that was , the evidence used by the trades halls 1 of this country, yet. we have* to-day a " i policy being enunciated by the Labour Party that every man in this country should get £4 a week. I leave it to the public to judge whether such a policy Could he put into effect. All we can <Io at tlie moment is to make'the avail-' able money go as far as possible. Until matters generally can he improved and prosperity is brought to everybody mv ' advice to '• the Unemployed is this: They can only, expert calm and 'cool consideration if they accept tlm best the Government- is able to give, them. The Government’s Plan. The Government's idea was to give evc«-v man relief. It' that could not lie done it- was the responsibility of the Government to provide food and li.-vc ’lie* man looked after. A Labour member: Give a sustenance allowance. MV Coates: In tin* .’orm of food, and i we might, give a few shillings. [ Mr Coates said h<> did not want lo | sec* a system of relief that would irri- | tate people. Mr Semple (Labour. Wellington Past): We don’t want queues. Mr Coates agreed, and said lit* expected that a complete scheme of | organisation would be ready in about eight days. Wellington and Christchurch and about fourteen out of twenty-two boroughs in New Zealand were* under action. It might lie thought the Government should do more for men with big families, hut the Government did .not want, to attract to the towns men who were wo -k----ing quite happily in country districts. He defended t-lie camps for single men •and intimated that steps were being taken to improve conditions. Will Take Every Step. “The* Government, will take evep-.v step to sec* that unemployed arc* provided for.” declared Air Coates. “It is not a wage we are providing, it is a relief payment. The Government has had to put its proposals through in the, face of the sternest opposition. The proposals of the Government have been opposed, have been voted against an f J have* been misrepresented, not only inside this House* hut outside of it. I am xoivy to say a good deal of it has been directed against the Prime -Minister and myself. We have hemi represented as two men \yhu are not fit lo he. alive. ,! | is bev(>n,| a iukc. The men a t the head of I In* . Government arc; not without resnnnsibil*! v. They have* had long experience.. There is no need to create an unset l ied and nnsatis,L"i*iiv feeling amongst the uuomphi ed.”