“WON’T WORK”

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1921, Page 10

“WON’T WORK”

ENGLAND’S UNEMPLOYED. VIEWS OF A NEW ZEALANDER. “No one knows what is wrong with England. No one seems to wish to work,” remarked Mr. W. L. Fitzherbert, of Palmerston North, who returned to New Zealand by the lonic on Sunday. He also stated that there was scarcely any demand for New Zealand frozen beef in England. Mr. Fitzherbert has been in England for the last six months, having in addition paid a visit to France and the battlefields and Belgium. He states that England does not seem to want work —real work. Land workers are making magnificent efforts, and indeed in all branches of labor much is being clone. How different this is to the Old Qountry. One sees every day crowds of 40,000 to 50,000 at cricket matches, football matches, or' at races. No one seems to be putting any effort into reconstruction —and the result is that things are very bad. The unemployment dole has proved something of a farce. In hundreds of cases men are quite satisfied with the dole —so much so that they desire to keep away from good, hard work. The unpopularity of New Zealand frozen beef was stressed by the Dominion’s informant. “New Zealand will have to realise that she cannot .compete in the matter of beef with the Argentine,” he said. “Argentine chilled beef is proving far more acceptable, both as regards quality and nearness of the exporting country to Britain. However, New Zealand butter, frozen mutton and lamb cannot be beaten. There is a good demand for it. I had some frozen lamb in London recently, and it was the finest lamb I have ever tasted, fresh or frozen.” Mr. Fitzherbert said that although there seemed to be a great deal of money in London, it came mostly from tourists. There was great financial stringency at Home. “New Zealanders are ‘white-haired boys’ in England,” he said. “They are the most popular by far of all the men from the overseas Dominions and Colonies.” He considered that a great deal of real hardship had been caused in England by the cessation of a great deal of shipbuilding. “This is due partly to the fault of the Government,” he said. “Many German ships were taken by the Imperial Government in lieu of indemnity, and the result has been that others have not been built.”