– in the House of Commons am ar 29 Mawrth 1939.
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (1) whether, and what, fresh proposals are contemplated for improvement in the services for education, hospital services and vocational training, respectively, in Newfoundland;
(2) whether he has any proposal to make with a view to increasing the economic production of Newfoundland; and whether he will consider taking any steps for the development of the fish resources of the island;
(3) whether he has any fresh statement to make on the present position in Newfoundland; and whether he can state any new proposals to relieve the economic stress that is now there prevailing?
In order to counteract so far as possible the serious consequences of a simultaneous set-back in two of the three main industries in Newfoundland, namely, fish and newsprint, special steps were taken by the Commission of Government to ensure a guaranteed price to the producer in the fishing industry and to relieve unemployment by a short-term programme of road and public works. These efforts were successful in so far as they helped to maintain the volume of employment in the fishing industry and to prevent further deterioration in conditions generally. It was not possible, however, by Government action to offset in full the shortage of employment in the newsprint and logging industries, and there has, I regret to say, been an increase in the number of persons in receipt of public relief during the winter as compared with the winter of 1937–38.
There has recently been some improvement in conditions in the newsprint industry, and, therefore, in prospects for the resumption of logging operations on a larger scale. Further impetus will be given to logging activities by the recent agreement with Messrs. Bowater Lloyd, providing for the utilisation of important forest areas hitherto unexploited. In addition to the revival of the fish trade with Spain which, it is hoped, will follow the end of the civil war, negotiations with an important United States company interested in taking fresh and processed fish and other food products are taking place. The mining industry, I am glad to say, is continuing to work at full capacity. The revenue of the island has so far kept up with the Budget estimate.
The draft Newfoundland Estimates for 1939–40 are now being prepared, and I am in consultation with the Commission in regard both to short-term measures and also to their long-term programme, covering rural reconstruction and the expansion of the social services. The grant-maid to Newfoundland which Parliament is to be asked to vote for 1939–40 has been fixed at £1,000,000, an increase of £680,000 on that provided in 1938–39.
Arising out of that very comprehensive statement, for which I thank my right hon. Friend, might I ask him whether it is a fact that the number of people on public relief in Newfoundland for the months of February and March of this year constituted an unfortunate record; whether it is a fact that there is an entire cessation of all assistance and hospital services for diseases now prevalent; and whether, if those things are so, he will direct some attention to providing some immediate mitigation of these two terrible sets of circumstances?
I have not the figures for February and March, about which my hon. and learned Friend asks. So far as hospital services are concerned, I have no information confirming his statement.
Is it the fact that in January, 1939, there were something like 70,000 persons in this island on public relief, as against the total in January, 1938, of 52,000, and that the Commissioner for Public Health has estimated a figure even greater than that? If the right hon. Gentleman has no information about the complete lack of hospital facilities, will he be good enough to make inquiries forthwith?
I will certainly make inquiries upon the specific point which my hon. and learned Friend mentions. The figures for January, 1938, were 52,000, in round figures, and the figures for January, 1939, were 69,403.
Can the Minister say whether, while this distress is prevailing in the island, the islanders are still being compelled to pay the huge interest to the bondholders?
No doubt it is in the interests of the island that the public debt should be met.
Even before the people are fed?
There is no competition between the two services. The arrangements are made by the Commission for giving practical help to the people, and, of course, if more help ought to be given, naturally I would consider it.
Is not this House responsible for making the debt charge a first charge on the production of that island, which cannot produce enough to keep its people decently.
Can the right hon. Gentleman say the average amount which is paid each week in public relief to that large number of persons who are dependent upon it?
For further elucidation, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the 69,000 or the 70,000 persons in receipt of relief are getting relief at the rate of 3d. per day?
No, Sir, that is not quite accurate. The amount spent by the Government upon the relief of unemployed persons varies according to whether the persons are in the towns or in the country. This is due to the cost of living, but these payments by the Government, which are called the "dole," are to supplement other resources to which the people in the country in particular have access—the natural resources of the country, such as fish and other commodities—but the cost of providing the dole for persons in St. John's is three times as much as the figure which the right hon. Gentleman suggests.
Can we be told how much it is?
In view of the fact that half of the population are on this miserable relief, will the right hon. Gentleman see that before Easter we are supplied with a report from the Commission of Government as to the facts, as far as they know them?
The hon. Gentleman's statement that half the population is in receipt of relief is not accurate. The position is quite bad enough, but the number in receipt of relief is not half, but rather less than one-quarter of the population. As to full information, the hon. Member will no doubt take such steps as he can to make inquiries, and I shall be very glad to give him any information, either privately or in this House, for which he asks.
I think that we ought to insist on having a report.
Ask Morley Richards for it. He will give it you.
Any further questions should be put on the Order Paper.