LABOUR POLICY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 505, 12 April 1933, Page 5

LABOUR POLICY

(Press Assn.-

TO MEET CRISIS / : - MR. H. E. HOLLAND DEALs WITH UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM CRITICAL SITUATION

— By Telegraph— Copyright).

Ohakune, Tuesday. Speaking to .a crowde.d house in Ohakune last night, Mr. H, E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, devoted a. large part of his speecli to the nnemployment problem in 'New ' . Zealand, claiming that including wo- , men and girls and boys under 20 years of age, there are quite 120,060 unemployed in this country. . This number, he predicted, would be increased to 150,000 hefore the winter was over. He declared that it was unfortunate that Parliament was adjourned without making provision for additional finance to meet the inevitable increhse in the number of unemployr ed which would f ollow the close of seasonal occupations. The Labour Party's proposals to cope with the problem, included a comprehensive Public Works scheme [= of primary and secondary industrial development with guaranteed prices for primary producers and standard... . wages for workers. , He also advocated shorter working hours to meet disemployinent cbused hy -new inventioris and the continued introduction of improved labour displacing machinery. He dealt exhaustively with the question of currency and credit, declaring that if necessary, the Labour Party in office would provide for additional issue of legal tender of currency. He did not think, however, that any very great amount. of this would be required, since if the unemployed were absorbed into industry and placed on works of economica! value, the restored velocity in ci'rculation of existing legal tender and cheque currency that would result, • — would represent a substantial increase of money used in the exchange transactions of New Zealand. Whatever new money was issued, it would be circulated strictly in line. with increased production of goods . and services and care -would be taken that" it would go into immediate ex- . penditure and not into the vaults of the banks or the pockets of the- bond holders and anoney speculators.