The Sun 42 WYNDHAIM STREET, AUCKLAND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1929 THE MAGIC OF FIVE WEEKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 809, 1 November 1929, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAIM STREET, AUCKLAND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1929 THE MAGIC OF FIVE WEEKS

AN end to unemployment among those wanting Avork is due tomorrow in this country on the guarantee of the Government. Five Aveeks ago almost to a day the Prime Minister made a deliberate statement to that effect. The declaration generally was looked upon outside Parliament either as something to be taken Avith a large grain of salt or as an exuberant promise representing three-o’clock-in-the-morning optimism; within the House those members Avho, in political innocence and inexperience, still are thrilled easily, hailed the definite promise as “the biggest thing that had been done in the history of Neav Zealand.” Their faith Avas so complete as to enable them to see fulfilment in the promise. In order to facilitate achievement the unemployed throughout the Dominion Avere invited to register their need and make application for Avork. At that time the official tally of Avorkless men in all the eentres of population Avas less than tAvo thousand. Registrations in, Auckland, the Avorst centre for unemployment, totalled a score or so under nine hundred. Within less than three Aveeks the Auckland total had increased to 1,514, Avhile the Dominion registrations had reached the disconcerting aggregate of 6,206 without any slackening in the rush for relief work. Then the Government, surprised if not shaken, by the formidable response to its guarantee to abolish unemployment Avithin five Aveeks, decided to suppress further details of district and national registrations of unemployment. The reason for secrecy was given in the House by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, explaining that it had been discovered that “the records being published did not synchronise with those of other departments Avhieh had been brought into the scheme for unemployment relief.” ' This explanation AA r as either a confession of departmental inefficiency or, as Mr. P. Fraser, first lieutenant in the Labour Party, interpreted it, “an extraordinary statement.” No one will desire to see the United Administration fail in the confident boast of ability to achieA'e “the biggest thing that has been done in the history of New Zealand.” Indeed, there Avill be nothing but grateful praise for a harassed Ministry if it be in the happy position tomorroAv to claim the achievement of complete success. A full statement on the subject has been promised for today by the Minister of Public Works. Though the Hon. E. A. Ransom did not AA r ant in the House yesterday to anticipate the announcement on the morroAv, he at least gave some interesting information about the success of the ment during the period of Avaiting and secrecy. So far, the Minister explained, Avork had been found for 4,970 men, Avhieh number included 775 men due to he discharged from the Forestry Department. This means, that, unless registrations by the unemployed stopped Avlien secrecy as to details began, close on 1,400 workless men haA-e to be given employment Avithin the next twenty-four hours. In all probability twice that number of registered unemployed still require work. There is, of course, always a chance of full triumph being secured at the eleventh hour, but, on this occasion, there is room for honest doubt. Still, it is not necessary to anticipate the final Ministerial statement. Enough lias been done already hy Avay of traditional political expediency to entitle the Government to pleasant commendation. It has found employment for nearly five thousand jnen in relatively quick time and during a period of acute distress among many thousands of unemployed. For that alone the Ward Administration deserves credit. But the achievement does not and should not arouse enthusiastic praise. The record of administrative performance in an effort to fulfil a sensational promise contains little that Avill go far to solve the problem of unemployment in a profitable Avay or even in a manner promising durable employment. Nothing has been done toivard effecting an economic cure of a stubborn industrial disease. Administrators again haA-e indulged in expensive palliatives. Nothing has been done in the direction of promoting new industries or developing existing manufactures. On the contrary taxation has been increased and, although politicians do not yet knoAV it, everybody else knoAvs quite Avell that inflated taxation fetters enterprise and creates unemployment.

PROTECTION FROM THE LAW

WHETHER the Solicitors’ Fidelity Guarantee Act, designed to protect the public from defaulting .solicitors, will check a practice that in recent years has become deplorably frequent is perhaps doubtful. The very existence of provision for the reimbursement of his client, and the knowledge that a person for whose welfare he may retain a shred of regard will not suffer, may encourage rather than deter the tempted man. But the law societies which, to their lasting credit, have originated and endorsed this Bill, are no doubt fully aware of such possibilities, and they still consider that their first duty is to protect the public against the unscrupulous or unfortunate men who will be found in the ranks of every profession. By engineering the Bill which was put through by the House last night, the lawyers of New Zealand have restored the confidence of the public in the high traditions of an ancient and honourable profession. Examining in retrospect the records of defalcations which have besmirched the good name of the profession in the years since the Avar, one finds that no city in the country has been entirely free from examples of such lapses. They may be definitely traced to a set of circumstances which may never occur in quite the same relationships again. First of all, the war made immense demands on the young men who, in 1914 and the immediately following years, were just growing into the law’s tradition of stability and integrity. But it was not the younger element alone that responded to the call. The New Zealand forces were to a remarkable extent officered by men who, in private life, were engaged in the peaceful occupation of preparing briefs and executing title deeds. An important element in the constitution of the profession was weakened by the attrition of Avar service and its sequels. After the Avar the period of phenomenal prosperity made the Ihav an attractive profession. Crowds of young men poured into billets for Avhieh in other years they Avould have had to Avait considerably longer. They survived Avhile prosperity reigned; but Avhen the bubble burst a proportion found themselves embarrassed by tlie pressure of their incautious speculations, and some of the Aveaker ones turned to their trust funds as a Avay out of their difficulties. Similar lapses have recurred since, some of them in Auckland, ajid the same factors can be seen to have operated in nearly eA'ery case. In spite of the satirical jests of laymen, the true integrity of the Law as a profession is not and has not, been threatened. It is chiefly a feAA r young irresponsibles, among men thrust into positions of trust long before they AA-ere ready for such responsibility, and asked to find profitable property iiiA’ostments for people av!io sometimes haA-e had more money than Avisdom, aa-lio haA-e created the necessity for this Bill.