Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1939. AN ENTRY TO INDUSTRY.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1939, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1939. AN ENTRY TO INDUSTRY.

AT a broad view, the scheme announced by the Minister of Labour (Mr. Webb), under which men are to be transferred from public works and from subsidised employment, under Scheme 13, to the boot industry, appears to hold considerable promise. Since details have been worked out m collaboration with the Boot Manufacturers’ Federation and the Federation of Labour, the latter representing the workers organisations concerned, it may be supposed that the proposals are cast on practical lines and are regarded as workable and are approved by people possessed of expert knowledge. Assuming that the proposals are carried out successfully, many-sided benefits will result. Men now unskilled, or at all events employed unproductively, will be enabled to qualify as skilled workers in definitely productive industry and to a corresponding degree the present shortage of skilled labour will be remedied in the best possible conditions. At the same time, a positive and constructive attack will be made on the problem of unemployment and upon the subsidised employment by the State which is only unemployment disguised. Taking account of these substantial gains and lasting benefits, the cost of subsidising adult apprentices that is entailed does not seem to be at all excessive. The proposed apprenticeship period is two years and a half. In the first hall-year, the State is to pay a subsidy of £l. 15s. a. week, and in succeeding half-years the subsidies are to be £l. 10s., £1 55., £l, and 10s. a week. The wages of the adult apprentices are to start-at £4 ss. a week and to rise to £5 a week in the fourth and fifth hallyears. Agreement on these rates ol pay, of which much the greater part is to be paid from the outset by the employ eis, implies that those who are familiar with the operation of the industry are confident that an effective training can be given in the period proposed. It is, of course, most essential that a scheme of this kind should open the way to permanent and assured employment. If in that respect and others the boot industry scheme gives promise of working out satisfactorily, additional reasons will appear for opening up employinent in other industries to men at present engaged in subsidised work or ineffectively employed. Amongst others, the building industry appears to have strong claims to practical attention where adult apprenticeship is concerned. The greatest possible efforts evidently are warranted in enabling men to qualify by training for employment in fully productive industry. The benefit to be conferred on individuals in itself amply justifies vigorous action on these lines. In. addition, however, it is only by providing for the ready and advantageous absorption in industy of all available labour — members of the oncoming generation as well as men who are meantime denied an adequate working opportunity—that the country can ever hope to escape the deadweight burden of the cost of unemployment relief and of subsidised employment—a burden which accounts for an actual and projected expenditure in two vears, including the current financial year, of nearly £11,00(1,000. FINANCIAL GOOD FAITH. THOUGH it gave rise to a certain amount of bitter feeling, the debate in the House of Representatives yesterday on the subject of the recognition of our debt obligations served in other respects an excellent purpose. Full approval must be given by opponents, as \tell as supporters of I Ik* Government to the emphatic terms in which lhe Deputy-Leader of the House (Mr. Fraser) declared that any other policy than one ol honest good faith with those from whom the Dominion has borrowed money would be a base betrayal of those citizens concerned and of the country as a whole. People of diverse political views no doubt will be wholly in agreement with Mr. Fraser that: — Apart from the dishonour of such a course, a moment’s reflection will show any clear-thinking person that even the conception and mention of the idea of repudiation, far less its serious contemplation, would not only be inimical to the interests of our country but would be disastrous and ruinous. Il is perfectly true, as Mr Fraser pointed out, that members and some supporters of the Government have slated repeatedly that debt obligations will be and must be faithfully honoured, There have also been indications from lime io time, however, that a section (if lhe Government following—a section in which Ihe member for Grey Lynn is prominent—has its own views on various aspects of monetary policy. So far as lhe issue raised in lhe Financial Debate and dealt with in the amendment moved by Mr. Forbes is concerned, the only question now remaining open is that of the interpretation io be placed upon observations on the debt position made by Mr. Lee in the I louse on Thursday. These observations were adequately reported yesterday, and il may lie left Io those who read or heard them to say how far they were in conformity with lhe thoroughly definite and satisfactory statement on the same subject made by Mr. Fraser yesterday, I'omplete agreement on the meaning of the words that Mr. Lee employed on the occasion in question is unlikely to lie reached, but this now becomes a matter of secondary importance. In reiterating, through Mr. Fraser, its former assurances in regard to the honouring of debt obligations, the Government has made clear its own attitude on this vital aspect of national policy.