DOMINION PROBLEM

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20281, 25 August 1937, Page 9

DOMINION PROBLEM

MEN ON SUSTENANCE. PRESENT ALARMING FIGURES. NO LABOUR FOR FARMERS. The unfortunate plight of people, who through no fault of their own, were unable to exercise their -right to work, presented a problem which 'should be above party politics, stated Mr 0. C. Mazengarb, during the course of his address at the Theatre Royal last evening. Unemployment, said Mr Mazengarb, had reached its maximum intensity throughout the world in the years 1931 to 1933. No country, whether it was ruled by a Labour or a non-Labour Government had escaped. It might be fair to criticise a government for its way of grappling with the problem, but distinctly unfair to blame any Government because the difficulties arose.. "Not only was the Coalition Government blamed for the depression, but we now And Labour Ministers claiming to have ended it," continued Mr Mazengarb. "For instance the Hon. R. Semple, speaking In the Melbourne Trades Hall, asserted that since his party took office the number of unemployed had been reduced from 73,000 to 15,000 and that many of the latter were unemployable. This statement is as far from the truth as the Minister was from New Zealand when he made It. Just about the time the Minister was talking that way in Australia we had the lion. P. Fraser and the Hon. P. C. Webb quoting figures in New Zealand to show that under their government the unemployed had been reduced from '56,000 to

38,000. There is a big difference between their alleged reduction of 18,000 and Mr Semple’s 60,000!

"As Labour continues to make unemployment a party issue it would be well for it to face the facts,” continued Mr .Mazengarb. "If it wants to have the credit for any reduction in unemployment it must also take the blame for the respects in which unemployment has increased.”

Total Numbers Reduced,

“We can concede that the total number of registered unemployed has been reduced,” said Mr Mazengarb.

"But how has it been reduced? What has happened to those who have gone off the register and how many are new to the register and fresh recipients of the dole? No one will seriously deny that in the normal process of trade recovery throughout the world some thousands of our citizens have been absorbed in regular work unaided by anything that the Government has done for them directly or indirectly.

"Of the 18,000 who have gone off the register no less than 8000 men have been placed upon public works at standard rates of pay.

"The general Industrial policy of the Government has resulted In the appointment of officials In the Labour, Public Works, Transport and other departments to see that the Government’s laws are being administered properly,” continued Mr Mazengarb. "Up to a few months ago the Government had succeeded in increasing the number of civil servants by over 3691, since It came Into office.

"Instead of bragging about Its handling of the situation the Government might concern Itself with the fact that unemployment is now actually on the Increase,” continued Mr Mazengarb. "The published figures for July show that at the beginning of the month the registered unemployed were 37,546, and at the end of the month they had increased to 38,679. But if the expansion of public works does not redound to the credit -of the present Government, there is one fact which operates to its discredit, namely, the ever-increasing army of men who are receiving sustenance from the State without doing any work at all.

“I*n June,. i 935, the number of men on sustenance was 11,262 and in June. 1936, it had risen to 20.352. In 1937 the number rose to 20,690 and by July, 1937, the figure had advanced to 22,210. Frauds on Fund. “For months past the Court returns have shown that men are being convicted for frauds on the fund," said Mr Mazengarb. “Some of tlie convictions are of men in full work, drawing sustenance pay in addition to their earnings. It is not an offence to work under an assumed name, and I have begun to suspect that many a man is'assuming different names as a cloak to his frauds on the unemployments funds. One useful reform might be to provide a penalty for a man who changes hjs name without notifying the Unemployment Bureau.

“Farmers are calling loudly for labour and yet 22,000 men are drawing easy money—sustenance——and not giving one ounce of energy in return for it. Is it any wonder that taxation an/ the cost of living continue to rise?

"The Government has said much about tlie increased prosperity which it brought to the country since it assumed office, yet it has printed a supply of unemployment levy books to last for another three years. The whole world is now basking in prosperity's warmth; yet the biggest business in New Zealand is that of providing for men who should be encouraged to provide for themselves.”

In oonoluslon, Mr Mazengarb said that it was shocking to And In a time of comparative prosperity, when things were booming throughout the world, that In New Zealand there were 20,000 public works employees, 22,200 sustenance recipients, 14,000 others on relief and 4000 civil servants engaged to look after the needs of these men.