SECONDARY INDUSTRIES
THEIR DEVELOPMENT URGED ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT > ASSURED WELLINGTON, June 24. The development of secondary industries as a means of removing the unemployment evil was urged by Mr G. W. Leadley at the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association Conference to-day. Last year manufactured goods in New Zealand were valued at £35,000.000, said Mr Leadley. If that sum could be increased by £10,000,000 it would give employment to 15,000 more men. Having classified the unemployed and ascertained the number of skilled men the problem of the Unemployment Board was to get the skilled workers back to their vocations. They could not all be turned into farmers. The board had come to the decision that the best method to put these men in industry was by an intensive campaign in favour of New Zealand manufactures. Under the present schemes a great deal had been done to bring the land into cultivation, and much useful and reproductive work had been done all over the Dominion. The cost had been £650,000 —more than the whole of the year’s revenue from the unemployment levy. It had been suggested that the board should adopt a comprehensive land settlement scheme, and a five-year plan was suggested by Mr Coates. It was an excellent scheme, which would give employment to 4000 men for five years, and then leave 4000 extra settlers, but that scheme would have taken all the funds for the 4000 men, and it was not adequate with 44,000 unemployed. The board had done the next best thing in endeavouring to increase production by the system on the land already occupied. Mr Leadley proceeded to give instances of the good work done under schemes 4a and 4b. One good thing which would come out of the depression, like a flower growing out of an ugly stein, was the increasing desire among the citizens to serve their fellow-men on the Unemployment Committees,'giving to relief funds, and in many other directions. Such help could not be measured in -£ s. d., but was important in t the life of the nation.
Special reference was made to the work of Mr Burdekin, vice-chairman of the board, whose knowledge of economics and finance had been of tremendous value to the board.
A resolution was passed expressing appreciation of the work of the Unemployment Board, urging the provision of further finance to enable the board to continue its work, and to assist in land development on a large scale.
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Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 68
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407SECONDARY INDUSTRIES Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 68
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