Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1895. LOCAL BODIES AND THE UNEMPLOYED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5050, 13 June 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1895. LOCAL BODIES AND THE UNEMPLOYED.

The Lyllclton Times, commenting on the position of Local Bodies with respect to the ruemployed, recently said : ■ The localities cannot divest themselves of their direct responsibilities. They must, whether, they like it or not, join with (he Government in facing the difficulty, The Ministry is straining every nerve by opening land for settlement, and establishing co-operative works lo lessen the number of the unemployed, but when it ha.i done its best, there will still be able-bodied mra asking for assistance. 'These cmnol be left to starve, and they should not bc.driven to accept the bread of charity. The principle already recognised in the distribution nf charitable aid—a division of the cost between the Stale and the Local Italics-should he applied (o the provision of work. We cannot go quite as tar as our contemporary, as regards the direct responsibility of Local Bodies.' The principle, enforced by law, of making Local Bodies responsible for half the cost of charitable aid, is not one which thoy have accepted willingly, or of which they approve. They pay under compulsion and under protest —in this district, the protests have been frequent and persistent —but the principle of making them responsible for half the cost of providing for the unemployed, is not yet enforced by law, and till it becomes compulsory, there is no argument in its favour. Plainly put, " Is it the duty of Local Bodies to increase local rates, to provide work for the nnomployccl ?" Fow ratepayers will answer this question in the affirmative, If. the Government has the courage of its convictions, let it impose an unemployed rate on the Local Bodies, and see what'tliey say to the imposition. For them to strike such a rate voluntarily, might possibly serve ns a preliminary bleeding before the happy despatch is accorded- by the Government knife, in the new Bill which Mr Seddon is afraid to disclose; but country settlers incline to the opinion that they have been already sufficiently bledbyActof Parliament. The Government view is, no doubt, the view of the Trade Unions, but it is not the view of thepoorover-taxed producers oMho.Colony. The Government has inado a political speculation, of-the working man, and to a certain point has won on him,

"ut when the working-man becomes a drug in the market it asks the Local Bodies to take him over. The Local Bodies, who have had no share in the profits, do not sea the equity of ■ being called upon to share the losses.

The Government remedy for tlio unemployed, is a wrong one, and is only toleratedbeeause it is a remedy, and no one- likes to see men suffer. We believo that there are thousands' of settlers. throughout the Golony, who, if tliey were properly appronched by tho Labour Bureau, would be willing to take.ou an extra hand, and in somo instances employ even women and children. These fanners and settlers could not, in their present circumstances, pay other than nominal wages, but they could find food, sholter, work, and clothing, for all the unemployed willing to work or capable of doing work. This seems to us to.be the right remedy which would relieve the Government, as well as Local Bodies. The distribution .of the unemployed amongst two or three thousand homesteads, where they could fall into lino as part of our industrial population, and from whence, as opportunity offered, they could draft themselves into more profitable employment, would be a statesmanlike solution of a grave difficulty.