“LAW OF NECESSITY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 62, 4 June 1927, Page 17

“LAW OF NECESSITY”

WAGES AND PRINCIPLES AN UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM (From Our Resident Reporter.) "WELLINGTON, Thursday. “Thera are thousands and thousands of New Zealanders who would as soon sacrifice their lives as sacrifice their principles so far as wages are concerned.’’ declared Mr. H. L. Hills, who waited on the Prime Minister and Hon. G. J. Anderson to-day in respect to unemployment. The question of wages, he went on, was a sore point with a great many of the workers, who believed the relief wages of 12s and 9s a day were an endeavour on the part of the Government t° bring about a general reduction. \ ou say you want to see a high standard of living,” he said, “but you must realise this is impossible on the wages you offer to the unemployed.” The Prime Minister: Again we look at this from different points of view. Our experience proves that if we put the men on standard rates of pay we can never get rid of them. We now have the Public Works account loaded up with responsibility of four or five thousand men more than are necessary. It is obvious that if we went on like this it would be a charge against the country, and the position would be far worse for the men themselves later on. Mr. Hills: It is impossible for the men to get something else to do under present conditions. That is why some of them took on the relief work. Kir. Coates: I know Christchurch is difficult. Under the scheme we are proposing an endeavour is being made to decentralise so as to keep the majority of the unemployed from flocking to the one place. You yourself know that as soon as there is any work there is a rush to the city for it. Mr. Hills: The rush to the city is not so much the work that is offering there as the lack of it in the country districts.

The Prime Minister: That is so. It is purely economic, however. The farmer has done what everyone else had to do. He found he had to reduce his costs, and consequently do with less men.

Mr. Hills: Work cannot be got at any price tn the country.

Kir. Coates: Why did the men not take the jobs that were offering? I have had visits from dozens of fellows—and among them returned soldiers—who have said to me, “Is there any chance of a job?” I have offered them 9s and 12s a day, and they say, “We don’t care. We will have it rather than hang about town.” I have had notes from some of them to say they are making the best of things and doing all right.

Mr. Ilills: You will find that only those who are driven to it by starvation will accept the relief wages you offer.

Mr. Anderson: Oh that is not correct.

Mr. Coates: I don’t know. Mr. Hills might be voicing the psychology of many of the men. They might wait till they get bigger wages. But those who wait are those who can afford to Then there is the man who cannot find himself able to exist. He takes our conditions, and says, “As soon as I can get something better, I’m for it.” Mr. Ilills: Yes; it is the law of necessity that has driven, them to it.