UNEMPLOYMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1921, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT.

LEGACY OF THE WARDISLOCATION OF TRADE. ARTIFICIAL WORKBy Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received Sept. 26, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 26. Dr. T. J. Macnamara (Minister of Labor), interviewed by the Daily Chronicle regarding saidi:— “The terrific smash of 1914-18 has thrown trade and commerce off the rails; that is the reason for the facts now confronting the Government. Our best foreign customers want goods, but cannot pay for them. The Government has had these problems for more than a year. During the present year between 60,000 and 100.000 have been employed on various relief schemes, and 90,000 are now employed. A sum of £25,000,000 has been set aside for scheme®, which have been and are being carried out. This is in addition to £46,000,000 paid out to unemployment benefits.”

Referring to criticisms that these moneys should have been devoted to productive works, Dr. Macnamara said it was difficult to make work outside the ordinary fields of industry. The Government was so far unable to do much in that direction. The only natural and permanent remedy was to get the trade wheels going round again.

The Council of the Scottish Labor Party accepted a resolution condemning the Government’s proposed loan terms to the local authorities as inadequate, and urging the Government to take full financial responsibility for unemployment, and that, failing the provision of work, the local authorities pay maintenance to unemployed cn a weekly basis of: Adults £l, youths under eighteen 7/6, and children ss, the State refunding payments. — Cable Assn. GOVERNMENT ACTION. AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. Received Sept. 26, 5£ p.m. London, Sept. 25. The Times says business men and traders welcome the Cabinet’s recognition that the present wave of unemployment is not merely a temporary evil aolveable by palliatives, but a continuing problem, unless industry can be substantially restored. The unemployment question will be the main business of the autumn session.

As soon as Mr. Lloyd George returns to Landon he will hold an important series of conferences with trader®, manufacturers and bankers in order that they, with the Government, may make a concerted effort to restore British prosperity. The Times adds that the autumn session will be as short as possible and only in the event of the failure of the conference or fear of its breakdown will the Irish question appear on the Government’s autumn programme.—Times Service.