Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1921. UNEMPLOYMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2282, 28 May 1921, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1921. UNEMPLOYMENT.

THE schemes adopted by the Government for dealing vvilh unemploymerit are coming' into operation gradually. Works arranged liy the Public Works Department and the Forestry Department have been started at various points, and extensions are being made its they are deemed by the authorities to he necessary. It is not the policy of the Government to attempt to absorb all the labour that is seeking employment, but an effort is being made to prevent serious distress arising at any point. The Acting'■Prime Minister (Sir Francis Bell) made a statement on this point recently. He sa id that the public must not expect the Government, to find work for every man who was out of a job. The Government could not undertake to do this all over New Zealand, and its preparations for dealing with unemployment must he regarded as supplementary to other efforts. He looked to the local bodies to assist in absorbing the men who were unemployed within their areas. The men placed on Government unemployed works are being paid at the rates of 10s a day for single men without dependants, and 12s a day for married men and -ingle men with dependants. These rate.- admittedly are not high, but the amount of money at the disposal of Hie Government for the relief of unemployment is limited. The funds have Go be conserved in view of the possibility of unemployment becoming more extensive in the later months of the winter.

THE closing of the local ilaxmills have thrown a large number of men out of employment in this district. We believe overtures were made to re-open the mills, but the wages offered did not metet with the approval of the men. Owing to the disorganisation of the hemp market, it would be suicidal for millers to attempt to commence- operations under the existing wages award, and

it is regrettable that some temporary arrangement' could not have been arrived at that would have kept the men in employment during the winter months. It is probable that the Whitaunui and Miranui Mills will re-open on June Ist. ‘Both these mills, however, cut the green blade from their own areas, whereas the local mills have to purchase the Jlax. The local Borough Council has been able to absorb a fair amount of labour on the water and drainage works, and it is hoped that there will be no hitch in the loan advances to curtail employment iu this connection. Were it not for this, a large number of men, with fainijies to support, would he in sore straits.