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Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1932, Page 4

Unemployment continues rife in the land, and the position appears to grow more, difficult as the numbers • in* creasei. It is plain that the Government has not enough money to handle the position moie adequately, but the national difficulty continues, and more requires to be done. The land schemes 'will'be slow in materialising, be the Men expert or not. There remains only No. 5 scheme to deal with the bulk of the labour available. It seems a, pity that the Public Works Department does not concentrate more on national works, absorbing more men'from the towns. What has been don© in, this respect is only trifling. Much more could be done, we are persuaded if there were closer contract between the Department referred to and the i Unemployment Board. As a case in point it may be ment’oned that several propositions have been put up to the Board, without result. Camp sites have been selected in various parts, but the authority to begin, the proposied roads and drainage' works is lacking. A good deal iis being done to help the’ farmer under different schemes, but there does not appear proper co-ordination to see that reproductive, work only is in hand. There, should, be more string, nt inspection to see that the labour is usej to’ the best advantage. We may take it, that the Uneinploy d Board i? tied clreflv to Wellington, because of lack of funds to send its members abroad to study general administration. With the number growing, soon al] labour w’H be on the unemployed scale, yet tbo Board, should . satisfy itself that the number of really “unemployed” is a trr- 1 ' mensura of tlvpe for which the “relief” was designed. As matters are shaping it appears within t-h'e hounds of possibility, that morf money will he required tp. carry

o,n. Where is that money to come from? Before more taxation is imposed there should be a careful combing of all registered unemployed, and if that were carried out effectively it would not be surprising to s'.e a substantial fa’.] of those eligible strictly for “relief” measures.