MAN AND MACHINE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 634, 10 April 1929, Page 7

MAN AND MACHINE

INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN EFFECT ON UNEMPLOYMENT '•lf we go on the way we are going it won’t be long before half of us will be working and be taxed to keep the other half that can’t get work.” • was the conviction Mr. \V. J. Jordan, M.P., expressed during his address on “Industrial Conditions in Great Britain” in the opening lecture for the year of the Workers’ Educational Association last evening. Mr. J. O. Shearer, 8.A., presided. Dealing with the nationalisation of industry in recent years, Mr. Jordan quoted American figures to show that a task which in 1923 could be performed by 100 men could to-day be performed by 71 men. At that rate in another 10 years the task would be performed by 50 men, said Mr. Jordan, referring to the age-long problem of man and machine and the effect of the latter on unemployment. Mr. Jordan said that a very bright picture could be painted first of all. The 1928 British trade returns showed an increase of exports, and a decrease of imports. But still Britain’s unfavourable trade balance was I £464,000,000 in 1928, although this was ! less than in 1927. COMPETING WITH CONTINENT Unfortunately, however, although industrial profits had increased, unemployment had actually increased side by side with an increase of output from some factories. As giving some idea of what British industries had to contend with, Mr. Jordan said the Continental workmen were working for much lower wages, and further, they were working 56 hours in the regular week. France, with a population of 40,000,000, had less than 2,000 unemployed. To meet this foreign competition was the safeguarding of industries policy and rationalisation, of Government assistance in improving methods of organisation and production. In July, 1927, Great Britain’s coal output in one week had been 4,550,000 tons. For the week ending February 3, 1928, the mines output was 5,450,000 tons —600,000 tons more coal, although the men employed in coalmining had decreased from 1.000,000 in the first instance to 916,000 in the second. “Rationalisation of industry will aid production and allow us to compete against foreign countries, but unless there is a corresponding increase in the demand—greater than at the present time—there must be an increase in unemployment also,” said Mr. Jordan.

He told of a Canadian harvesting machine which, controlled by six men, will do as much work as fifty men on their own can do. “Yet we should have these improvements—we needed them,” said Mr. Jordan. REGARDED AS PERMANENT Taxation in Great Britain amounted to £ls 2s 8d a head of the population compared with £8 5s lOd in France and £3 8s 9d in Italy. In unWe had a few items, a charade and then supper, and before the evening closed, Mrs. Murdoch, the chairwoman of the committee, presented Miss Byers with a cup, kindly given by Mrs. Clements, and to be awarded to the patrol gaining most marks each month.” Daughter of the-Moon, of St. George’s Company, states: “This year, so far, we have had quite an eventful time in the form of picnics, hikes and visits from other companies. The committee kindly gave a picnic at Wattle Bay. where sports were he,ld. The company champion was Guide N. Roan. On the King s Birthday we hiked to Soldiers' Bay. . “At our last Guido meeting the captain and patrol l< § ts of the Edendale Company pak. us a visit. We are hoping to have a Guide concert soon and are also preparing for various badges, such as athletic, cook’s and domestic service.” Laughing Eyes reports for the Awatahe Company. * “The Awataha Girl Guide Company’s meetings have been well attended during the last month and, after the return of our captain, who has been absent for two years, we are already in proper form under good discipline. On Saturday, March 23. we spent a very interesting afternoon, for, first, we attended the Birkenhead Guide Company’s bazaar and then the Brownies joined us and we prepared a very t a sty tea of kabobs and jam rolls. “During this month we intend to go trekking and to have a camp fire in the evening, also we intend to make arrangements for our company’s fourth birthday, which will be held shortly.”

Silver Heel. scribe of St. Peter's Company, Hamilton; reports: “At Court of Honour on Friday night certain alterations were made in the company. Seconds M. Shaw. E. McNicol (Blue Wing) and G. Howlett were promoted to the leaderships of the Pansy, Iris and Daffodil Patrols respectively, with Guides G. Dalton and B. Johnson as new seconds. X. Foster was made second of the Honesty Patrol and D. Dymock resigned from the Pansy Patrol to become leader of a recruit patrol. Other resigning leaders were A. McXicol ("Gliding Moccasin) and X. Zisch.

“On Easter Monday some Guides from the Fuchsia and Pansy Patrols took the First Hamilton Brownie Pack to the lake for the day, when they had the unique experience of performing an Indian war dance on the sand for the foreground to a moving picture of the lake. In the afternoon after some exciting tracking games, rh ponies were put at the disposal of the pack and each Brownie was allowe* five rides before going home.

“At the recent field day held here Captain Dittmer and Dr. Pinfold prextra trophies to the spcond a" third companies. On Friday night our trophy, a nice brass tenderfoot for our flagpole, came to hand, so that we felt very pleased with Dr. Pinfold and ourselves for the rest of the evening.”

Waving Plume, our scribe in the Manurewa Company, writes under date April 8: “Last Saturday the Manurewa Guides and Brownies held their annual sports in Mr. Cox’s paddock. The weather was ideal for the occasion.

“Our president. Mrs. David Xathan. also attended and her daughter. Miss Jacqueline Xathan. presented the inter-patrol cup to the most efficient patrol. “When the races were over a game of cricket was played, the Guides v. the visitors. All those present spent a most enjoyable afternoon."

Herald of Dawn, of the First Devonport Company, writes that, owing to the indisposition of the captain and lieutenant, the Rs"'"- ' took charge • the last meeting. Sever'd c"e’

games were played, the Brown Owl and three visitors being also in attendance.

employment insurance £42.000.000 was required annually. “Fourteen per cent, of the people of Britain are living on unemployment taxation and charity,” Mr. Jordan said. Another thing about unemployment which struck the member for Manukau was that people were beginning to regard it as permanent. Institutions were being erected to entertain and educate those who could not get work. As a remedy for unemployment, Mr. Jordan wondered that Empire marketing and Empire settlement had not been employed more. “Unemployment causes unemployment. If one million of Britain's unemployed were employed the other third of a million unemployed would be automatically absorbed. If every person in Great Britain bought 2s worth of British goods a week, instead of purchasing that quantity of foreign goods, unemployment would vanish. Concluding his address, Mr. Jordan struck an optimistic note by saying that he came back from England more than ever impressed with the possibilities of that great country. Something would be done to stop the standard of living from being lowered, and he was hopeful that England would win through again. “I only hope that England, when 1 see her again, will be the dear old land that we pray for, and that something will have been done for the great mass cf her people.”