THE RIGHT TO WORK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3025, 23 October 1908, Page 5

THE RIGHT TO WORK.

CABLE IIW' 8 -

United Press Assooi itiou-By Oupyri^hc.

THE UNEMPLOYED 1 PROBLEM.

RELIEF MEASURES

LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL'S SCHEME. Received October 22, 8 a.m. LONDON. October 21. The London County Council has authorised the carrying out of work which will absorb the unemployed. The work will involve the expenditure of a sum of £281,000 for electrification of the trams. The Council negatived a scheme put forward by Captain Hemphill, Deputy Chairman, to expend a miliicn pounds on electrical traction and street widening.

The Right Hon. John Burns, President of the Local Government Board, asked the council to facilitate useful schemes for winter work.

SEEKING A REMEDY. Received October 22, 8.10 a.m. LONDON, October 21. The "Times" declares that the Cabinet is divided on the qustion of whether the remedy for unemployment shall be legislative or administrative.

STATEMENT BY MR ASQUITH. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSE TO DO. Received October 22, 10 p.m. LONDON, October 21. In the House of Commons Mr Asquith informed a packed House that the Government intended at the beginning of next session to deal with the permanent causes and conditions of unemployed. He admitted that a grave situation had arisen necessitating direct and immediate treatment. This temporary dislocation of the machinery of production had occurred throughout the world — not merely in the United Kingdom. He admitted that unemployment was substantially in excess of anything experienced for some time, and declared that Mr John Burns had worked night and day to provide relief. Between June and October the local Government Board had sanctioned loans for local works of utility to the extent of £4,388,000, being much in excess, of the average. Other, heavy leans were likely to be sanetkneu. Works were being accelerated in the Metropolis, and in the large provincial centres. The Water Board intended to construct a reservoir to cost £520,000. The Government did not intend to authorise local authorities to levy a penny for a relief vote. Municipalities had not sought that puwer, but he hak advised the Government to deal with the emergency on national lines. Mr Asquith,continuing,said that the Post Office intended to employ 8,000 extra men at Christmas, the War Office would take 24,000 recruits for the special reserve at a cost of £200,000 during the winter, and 2,100 men would be engaged in the Government dockyards on repair work. Tenders had already been accetpted for new destroyers costing £9,000,000. Tenders would shortly be accepted Cor five unarmoured cruisers to cost £1,500,000. All this navy work would be commenced six weeks in advance of the usual time. The expenditure in connection with the central fund would be at least £300,000. The Government proposals made no pretence at finality, but were merely anodynes affording temporary relief.

The statement was received with loud cheers.

The proposals will be debated on Monday.