IS WORK WANTED?

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 697, 24 November 1933, Page 4

IS WORK WANTED?

The member for Rangitikei (Mr. A. Stuart) , indulged in some straight talking in the House recently when commenting upon the attitude of some of his fellow members in regard to unemployment. Mr. Stuart said that it was to be regretted that in some cases the subjeet was used simply for political purposes. A great deal was heard about the condition of thousands of men without work when it was opportune to mention their misfortunes, but the fact remained that when farmers applied for men or when men were wanted for hard work in country districts no one oifered. Recently tenders had been called for the felling of 200 acres of bush in the Taumarunui district and not one tender had been received. Similarly an outcry was made regarding the number of women out of employment yet in the majority of cases it was impossible for the farming community to secure domestic labour. There is no doubt that as a generalisation these remarks are unfair to those members of the unemployed who are anxious to obtain work whatever it may be, but at the same time they contain sufficient truth to be worthy of serious attention. The tendency to cling to the cities is not confined to people in work but it is even more marked ■ among those who are not in j work. Farmers in various parts , of the country have from time ' to time commented upon the pos- : ition to which Mr. Stuart draws ! attention, while the domestic ] service position, always acute in this country, has not noticeably j been alleviated by the number of women out of work. When men are reasonably able-bodied and in a position where they are forced to accept relief, there is no justification for their refusing to accept reasonable wages, provided always that their position is not being exploited. But the fact remains that there is a section of the unemployed which definit ely prefers No. 5 scheme in the towns and cities to harder wotk and less Congenial conditions in the country. Human nature being what it is, it is inevih able that such a section shouid exist, but there are grounds for the belief that in this country it is considerably larger than it shouid be.