POSITION REVIEWED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 181, 24 March 1932, Page 5

POSITION REVIEWED

I ("Post" Special Commissioner)

JFfort to minimise burden i while providing for j adequate relief [1 SOME hopeful aspects

Tifl WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Introducing the Unemployment ■mendment Bill in the House of Reiresentatives to-day, the Minister in ®harge of Unemployment, the Rt. Hon C. G. Coates, said: I "For the information of members flnd the country I desire to review the losition respecting unemployment and ■o outline some further courses of ■ction which are calculated to pro■ide an opportunity for those out*of ■mployment. ■ "In so doing I recognise two basic Jonsiderations. It is! necessary to keep Ki mind the effect of the .burdens of Baxation for it is obvious that the ftore the public is taxed the greater lill be the decrease in the spending Ibility which brings its own reacjlions in industry. My endeavour there■ore is to keep a reasonable and equitible balance and thereby avoid addto the troubles with which we jre dealing. On the other hand it is liy opinion that we must not merely lay that reasonable relief should be Sranted to those in distress, but must lake every step within our power to Insure that no citizen who is preiared to work shall go short of the Jfiinimum necessities to keep together Ihe body and soul of himself and his ■ependents.

I Cause for Satisfactfon | "In reviewing the past few months »e are able to see some cause for iatisfaction. The rate of inerease in Ihe number of registered unemployed |as at least been arrested in the ieantime. The total stood at 51,408 Jn October 5 and it has been reduced m 7000 and has now been fairly conlant at about 45,000 for several ■eeks. The figure on March 14 was PiB99. At this period a year ago the leeply rising figures of unemploylent showed no slaekening whatever, igistrations in fact increased from ■00 in October to 31,000 in March |st year. |"The total placements of men in ibsidised employment on farms is 1,000. This represents some real proiess in moving men 'over the fence.' I'ery care has been taken to see that Jjese men have not displaced regular pployees. The number actually on |rms as additional labour to-day is §00. In October last the figure was I00I"This effort to assist at once the lemployed and the men on the land Beals to me as thoroughly sound — • * it is upon the farmer and the unIployed that the burden of this depssioii has fallen most heavily. 1'Our intention therefore is to ex■d to the utmost means of placing Ip on existing farms.