CHEAP LABOUR.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5147, 4 July 1927, Page 4

CHEAP LABOUR.

AMERICAN CONDITIONS.

PROBLEM OF THE “ UNDER-DOG.”

Speaking in the debate on the Imprest Bill in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, the Minister of Labour (Hon. G. J. Anderson) expressed the opinion that. Labour conditions were better in New Zealand than in America, and narrated the remarks of an American visitor on the subject of unemployment as it affected t-hat country.

Recently, said the Minister, a gentleman came from America to take charge of an institution in the Dominion, and Jie remarked to him, “I notice you have unemployment here.” He had replied, “Yes, we have ! Have you any in America ? “Any amount of them,’’ was the answer. In a. further reply to the question, “What do you do with them the visitor said, “We give them a. plate of soup, and dp not take much notice of them.” The Minister, went on to ask the Leader of the Opposition whether he was in favour of the American methods.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) : I am not, and never was.

The Minister expressed the opinion that if American methods were introduced into the Dominion it would be a pretty bad job for the “under-dog. America wfls deluged every year with very cheap labour from Eastern Europe, with very bad results to the American labourer. In that country the “under-dog” did not get much chance to rise on account of the importation of cheap labour.