UNEMPLOYMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5335, 5 October 1928, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT IN NEW ZEALAND.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S OPINION. Although the position is? by no means ae.ute, the prevalence of unemployment in New • Zealand c,aimot be doubted. Advocates of prohibition UH us, that if their pet scheme becajme law, the twenty odd thousand people in the New Zealand licenced trade would quickly be “absorbed by «*ther industries.” Thely fail to tell us what these industries arc, and how it will he done, and when. The fact is. that if prohibition were carried, another twenty thousand at • least would be added to our numbers of unemployed at the beginning of next winter. Who is, to look after their wives arid families ? In America despite prohibition, there are more, unemployed to-day dhan; there were in the slump period of 1920-21, anid 1,874,050 more than there were in 1925, according to a report to the U.S. Senate made! by the Secretary of Labour, Mr J. !• Davis, and published in the “Dominion” oh 28t.h March last. The, Prime Minister, Mr Coates'/ speaking :a,t on June 14th, 1928, pointed; o ( ut that, whereas in the United States, of America there were at least 1 in 60> unemployed, in New Zealand (under continuance) the figures were 1 in 300 at the outside. Thus, New Zealand was five times better off than; the United States of ■America.*