UNEMPLOYMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1921, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT.

REPLY TO CRITICISMS BY ACTING PREMIER. By Telegraph —Press Association. Wellington, June 6. The Acting-Prime Minister, in a statement regarding recent criticism of the Government’s actions to meet unemployment, says: “There has been no reduction in the salaries of public servants and no reduction in the rate of wages paid to men employed on public work. It is easy for anyone who will honestly consider the position to see that the Government would have been enabled to employ a larger number of men within the margin provided for public works if wages had been reduced. That method was not adopted, and the fact is well known to those who are now endeavoring to lead the public to a belief, that the Government has reduced salaries and wages.” Turning to the special provision which the Government has endeavored to make for men thrown out of private employment, Sir Francis Bell says that such men are not normally engaged on or fit, for .the labor of Government works. In most cases they are men who, if they sought an engagement on public works would not be taken on. It is not the desire of the Government to carry out these various works at present. The sole object of the Government, in endeavoring to find money for such additional Works is to make provision for men who find themselves out of private employment, and with that object the Government has established a rate of wage for such special works of 10s a day for single, men and 12s for married men. Nothing would give the Government greater satisfaction than to find that such provision is unnecessary. The Government is not asking for labor, and does not desire to employ labor beyond the normal public works’ expenditure, which in itself creates a tremendous strain on the public finances. Wellington, Last Night.

The Acting-Premier received yesterday the following telegram from the secretary of the Otago Labor Council: “Is charge of Labor members of Parliament true, that men on public works receiving 16s a day have been discharged and replaced by men getting 10s and 12s a day?” Sir Francis Bell replied: “Please read my official statement published in the Press to-day. You will find the statements of the Labor members irreconcilable with the true facts set forth in my statement. It is just possible that a few men discharged from public works in the early part of the year* have had their places on public works filled by others and have now applied for employment on relief works at a lower rate of wage, but if the charge you quote is founded on these possible but exceptional instances it is more or less untrue, for the allegation of the Labor members is that the Government discharged these men for the purpose and with the object of subsequently employing them at a lower rate, and with the further object of reducing the standard of wages on public works. My official statement demonstrates the utter falsity of that allegation. I propose to publish your telegram and this reply.”