THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 119, 17 June 1909, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION

THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. Dy Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Replying to an unemployed deputation, tile Premier said a suggestion nad nccu made in the telegram lie had received! from the -Mayor ui i misuhiiiYli ilmnnel Government should contribute a subsidy' of .(.M for .U, mid liiat the relief should he dispensed by the l.'nantaulu Aid Board. "I am not prepared,' he said, "to commence a system of that kind at this juncture ill the affairs of Xciv Zealand." It would not he even a temporary remedy for the condition of aflairs that exists. With the appropriation authorised by the Mouse for public works the Government would lie able to lind employment on reproductive public works tor a considerable number. As to immigration, he denied that the Government had at any time given instructions for the immigration scheme to be carried on. Small farmers and domestic servants had been assisted, but the High Commissioner was told not to pass any class outside those he had mentioned. Some of the people who were coming to Xe„ Zealand did not get the benefit of reduced fares, aim were neither directly nor indirectly assisted.

He pointed out that steamship companies induced immigration for business reasons, and he also emphasised the fact that if the traffic were interfered with th.-re would naturally be a lessening ot trade in our exports, and the volume of work on the wharves would be reduced in consequence. The shipping companies could not be interfered with. The Government would do its best to meet the aeeentuatul position, lie anticipated the appropriations made by the House would mean employment during the winter on reproductive works for an additional one thousand men. (Hear, hear.) lie was prepared to give the necessary authority to have that done. He referred to the difficulty that urns; through the disinclination of some men with families in the towns to go into the country. That only helped io increase the difficulties which beset the position. At the present time the Government had nine thousand men employed on reproductive works. The lligh'Conimissioncr had done everything he could to prevent the dissemination at Home of misleading information concerning New Zealand. Sir Joseph concluded by saying that his sympathies were with the unemployed, and he would do everything he could' to meet the case. As to the statement that labor conditions here were no better than they were in England, it 'nad been authoritatively stilted over and over again that there _ were several millions of people out of work at Home.

In rcplv to a suggestion by Mr. Davey, Sir Joseph promised to try'and arrange that some expert Imshmen should be engaged on the areas which the Government proposed to deal with, so that t'ne uninitiated would have a chance of learning tile '" art." An officer had bce-i despatched yesterday to one of the areas to make all necessary arrangements.