A PRACTICAL MOVE.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 10, 3 September 1931, Page 2

A PRACTICAL MOVE.

The announcement from Wellington that the Government and the Unemployment Board have at last decided to concentrate upon a scheme for utilising a proportion of the growmg army -of unemployed for rural develophient work, will be received with considerable satisfaction and may be taken as a definite indication of a more practical attitude on the part of the newly constructed Unemployment Board towards the utilisation of unemployed labour. According to a recent statement by the Board, it is proposed to test a scheme for using single unemployed to develop rural areas, and for this . purpose to bring the men together into camps where they can be concentrated upon the job in hand. "It was unanimously agreed by members of the Board," stated the report, "that as a general policy, it would work in the direction of diverting the present expenditure upon unemployment relief into more productive channels, which it deems to be absolutely essential if the country's condition is to be improved." This is a seritiment which, in some avenues of its work, the former Board was tardy in appreciating and one which it might profitably have applied much earlier in its operations. Instances abound throughout the country, and indeed, in Rotorua itself, of unproductive work which has been

carried out merely to give the unemployed something to do, but with no definite scheme which had prospects of making some eventual return to the taxpayers for the tremendous payment they are being called upon to make for unemployment relief. Making every allowance for the tremendous difficulties which unquestionably faced the Board in the inception of its various schemes, we think that the facts justify this criticism. At the same time, however, in fairness to the old Board, it must be admitted that along certain avenues, it did seek; to apply the principles which are being enunciated under this new scheme, even if its application left something to be desired. With the numbers of workers growing every week, it could not prep^re plans which would provide the most useful work for all. It had either to provide useful work for a few and leave the rest wholly dependent on charitable aid, or it had to make an attempt to provide some work for all. It chose the latter course. In clioosing it, however, it did not neglect opportunities of placing as many as possible in reproduetive employment. The thousands provided for under the No. 4 schemes of rural development are evidence of its constructive activity. . Nor would it be just to say, as some are doing, that the No. 5 schemes are merely grassgrubbing. The boroughs have had many valuable, but not urgent, improvements carried out, and while a great proportion of the money spent on this work could have been more profitably expended, it had at least the virtue that it kept men employed. The chief fault to be found with the work of the old Board was that it did not seek sufficiently diligently for the productive avenues of employment which undoubtedly existed, and it has been left for the reconstructed Board to enunciate a policy which might well have been initiated earlier. In its determination to divert unemployment labour into productive channels, the Board, _we think, must command the support of the thinking community/ and it is at least entitled to a cessation of destructive criticism until the new scheme has had a fair trial. So far as the Rotorua district is concerned, the emphasis which will be placed upon rural development work is of particular importance. Already, a number of developmental schemes are proceeding in the area adjacent to this centre and it may be presumed that the extension in this work which is proposed1 by the Board, will result in. an acGeleration and extension of the schemes at present in progress.. Rotorua has one of its greatest potential assets in the development of its district and this new and practical move on the part of the Board should command general support, not only throughout this district. but fhrono-h-

out the country as a whole. It must be remembered that while an extension of developmental schemes may benefit one or more districts particularly, its diffused benefit must certainly be felt throughout the Dominion. The organisation of camps for single men and their employment upon rural developmental work is certainly a move in the right direction. Details of the plan are not yet made known, and it is these details which present difficulties. Maintenanee of single men in camps is likely to cost more than the provision hitherto made for single men under the No. 5 scheme. There will be a heavier. demand on the Board's funds. Against this there will be a greater and more immediate return. The men themselves will also, we believe, be more contented, for no self-respecting man wishes to be idle four days in the week and to depend for the balance of his maintenanee upon charitable aid. The public have a part in the scheme to help, and to refrain from destructive criticism until the plan has had a fair trial. %