WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1921, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

UNEMPLOYMENT. A GRAVE PROBLEM. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, May 30. Mr. G. Mitchel’s attempt to express in figures the prevalence of unemployment in Wellington is not re-assuring. The member for Wellington South set about his task in the capacity of secretary, of the Central Progress League, a body that concerns itself with the social ethics of the capital city as well as with its material interests. He show’s that to the middle of last week there were 960 manual workers in Wellington seeking employment. Of these 300 were on the Labor Department’s books, 130 registered with the Repatriation Department, 400 idle on the waterfront and 200 seeking work on their own account. From this total of 1030 Mr. Mitchel deducts 70 for duplicate registration and thus arrives at his estimate of 960. Though large, the number would not be alarming if it represented the whole of the unemployment in the cityj but Unfortunately, in addition to the unregistered manual workers, thpre are a considerable number of office, shop and factory hands turned off or about to lose their positions. THE GOVERNMENTS RESPON-: SIBILITY.

So far it has been difficult to obtain any precise information from the Government on this subject. The various departments concerned give inquirers the impression that they have been instructed to avoid any unnecessary publicity. But it is known that • Ministers, when not combatting the suggestion that the,, six million surplus is available for public works and for the employment of the idle inen, ai‘6 doing their best to stay the growth of the trouble, which is by no means perturbing Wellington alone. Mr. Mitchel states roundly that their efforts have not always been directed wisely and gives instances in support , of his assertion; but it has to be remembered that the first hands out of work in emergencies of this kind, because the least essential, are the most , difficult to employ profitably. At the same time it must be admitted that the capable handling .of the problem which Mr. Massey promised beforq his departure for London has not yet made its appearance. THE MEAT TRUST.

The telegram received by the Acting Prime Minister from the American Con-sul-General at Auckland probably will be a ruder shock to some of the champions of Armour and Company of Australasia than it was to Sir Francis Bell. -Sir Francis was merely officially pained that the Consul-General should have thought it necessary to use such harsh words as “arbitrary” and discriminatory” in describing the action of the Government in refusing to allow Armour and Co. to flout the law ■of the land. The local friends of the company, who have been declaring it to be an innocent commercial enterprise, run by Australasian capital, entirely from the Meat Trusty and rather a patriotic effort than , a business venture, will be deeply grieved to discover that it is under the wing of the parent organisation to the length of being able to enlist the intervention of the American Government when New Zealand refuses to -pillow the almighty dollar to overrun this country in the interests of the great monopolies. Their disillusionment is complete. MOTOR ACCIDENTS.

The Dominion is calling’attention to the failure of the Crown to secure convictions on the manslaughter charges following on a number of recent mo-tor fatalities. As the. law stands the choice in these eases seems to be between a charge of manslaughter and a prosecution under the Motor Regulations Act, and, as the penalty in one case may be a lortg term of imprisonment and in the other a fine “not exceeding ten pounds”, the local paper demands an amendment of the law that will provide some middle course. If a driver is negligent and a fatal accident occurs he may escape punishment altogether through a jury’s disinclination to convict him of manslaughter. If t'he proceedings are taken under the Motor Regulations Act it may be shown that he has been culpably negligent, but no greater penalty than a fine of £lO can be imposed. .Between the two stools the offender does not fall to the ground, but manages to elude punishment altogether. The Dominion urges,.that Parliament should see to this l matter, and an intelligent public prob- 1 ably will take the same view.