"WE WANT WORK."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 438, 22 February 1909, Page 5

"WE WANT WORK."

SCENE: AT AUCKLAND/ I THE PRIME MINISTER BESIECEO. ["■■ AN ANGRY CROWDS : ■■ \ ' : (BY. TELEaKAPH—SPECIAL CORHESrONDENT.) ■ / ' ; Auckland, February 2).., The unemployed question lias- assumed prominence in Auckland .during ,: the last 24 nourßy chiefly owing to the presence ..'in town of tho Prime Minister. . That there are a good many meri:out of work, is beyond doubt, and the arrival - of■ each /ship-load of immigrants' from the \Old does somotning to aggravate tho trouble;" In most cases, however, it has been found hero that matters adjust-themselves, and, the periods 'of. glutted - labour markets 1 pass away, -the moii/.wh'o wanV work; being; gradually absorbed. The ''present;. happens to be.a rather acuto time,.and: the batch of unemployed' is-not only impatient,, , but is being stirred. up by one or two firebrands. ' There aro frequent;. meetings,"- at'which pretty .hot speeches' are' made, and. these' help to-fer-ment a spirit, of. discontent and resentmont. ' Sir Joseph Ward Bailed Up. i> ! On. Saturday morning .a' , (demonstration was made'^n.front ,o£.the' Star-Hotel- by. a crowd of unemployed, estimated, at-150 '.by one newspaper, but indignantly placed fat a much ■higher number - by one of the in-stigators.-:-They' had:O"bandj '.and■'■.banners' displaying, tho' device, -"Wo want' work,".' and '.paraded the'-. main streets.. ..On-arrival at the Star Hotel the leaders, 'Messrs. T. Long, .A;' Rdsser, Breslaw/ Moxhani,, and Oliver Mason,, proceededi-to the Prune , jVfin-1 lstor's .room.- ;Bir v Jps'oph,,^Vard ; was v met''.m the act of coming put,, and'.'when : asked if he could receive an : unemployed deputation; he replied that he was on -the.point' of leaving. to keep ah engagement , .-inNcon-,-nection . with the- ■■ presentation •of a.;cricket .banner - ■ iipon: ',tKo • .Domains," Mr.:'■;. -Rqsser urged that there ,were several hundred :meh in Auckland'out. of work,''; and .practically starring: : .;Tho:occasion: ; ;wasvone;.of..more importance , than the .presentation. )pi: medals to school children, v:. ■.' '■■'''■ .■'.'■:''}'•_>'■■. :;-.::

Sir Joseph Spars to Cain Time. > ; ■•- Sir?: Joseph Ward /replied' -thathe had already ■■.; made : arrangements ■: to '■'" attend, .the presentation '•'at the Domain, and he always mado,a feature of keeping-an appointment, i.ha-: matter how.- great ; or: small - its i importance might, be. . Hewould be' willing, nowr. ever, .';, to : meet the;unemployed. Reputation at six -o'cloclt-that and; would address a few,words tothe; waiting oiit> sido; before leaving for !the Domain.; .•■!:;.,.■ .. lα>', ~this! ;" ,arrangement. ■!the" deputation agreed; , . In the meantime tho leaders _of the w;orkless;crowd ; outside' had'.been .making. •the most of,-their opportunity. ■'_ The; crowd had' heen largely increasing) ■ '.ldler.s,7;and spectators.'.being .attracted from, all' quarters by tho rather. -; angry demonstration: in; 'pro-.' gress in front of the. hotel. ; A, well-dressed man, who was much in:evidence,atjpolit-' ical' meetings' last ;election,_ ; firstvharangued the • crowd : ih : ''broken Eugjish,' standing;~in the street 'on\a- ; cane chair,p"/ r i ■;;.-■■/':^-;W'' :- : ''*:fi :'■'.■ f",i-et HlmjHcar'Us^'.yv v^: : \y.;i -' Mr. , E,i F. ; - 'Way , was -the' next..-. speaker.'; Mounting the chair, he held forth to sthe : ad-, miring crowd. . Sir. Joseph Ward,, he SaiOj had jiist:eipresscd;.surpriso:'tb'-tfiie-'depi?tar-tioh that .there''Were unemployed -in:Auck-land.-c(A .Tpice: ::''What/rot!' , )-;?;:v:. ,;;;:>. :;Mr., Way '(continuing):'. The. -Prime.■Mmißter -says that he won't 'deceive usi until; : 6 eveiiirigj' btity,by 6 o'clock;.there are niany here who .will be wondefing-where-the 1 bread 'and,'b(itter. :is: coming , .fromVifor; ■their-.wives and.-..children.... Let-us demand-a hearing. ' Oiiri case is more urgent than; the decorating'of-children; with' tin; medals.; Let, 'him hear us .instead-of playing the? ding dong .to'a;lotoi'childr<in' ;in ? : the| c O)oi; ißain;/, :,i ■■■■^■['■' : '■■'■'"':. : i'.,. i - ',-V'- : >-- ■■-],■*<*'.\>*. : ' Ml'. -Arthur?:Rbsser.; then ■■ the. ' crowd.': -Hβ said that; some - of; .them.■' Might' fool .that;, certain slight, , but the.Prime;Minister, had. an: appoititmeht to keep. 'Before leaving .lor; the Domain,. Si r s 1 _a-<few words-to :them.:'Thoy wero-Britishers, vand hoiiourabloimenj.and.-.-asiSiieh, they.,would. ; giv<) Sir : Josephja.fair'hearing.:;;■:;;;:^;;:r' v ;;';; ' The; Prltnft Mlnistor: Mblints a bhali ,^ ;;: ■ ': -i. The ;.Pfime':Minister,;.whd:;had .been .ah':interested spectator of .'the their ■later stages.from the hotel entrance, '..then >valked.-through , :the^/crowd,- 'which,,' by ;,this'; :timeV:numbored, "nearly,a -thousand. Mounts .ing :tho,.chair,.in the streeti'.he briefly '/ad-' dressed •.thbmeh.i-HeJßaidtjiat^he-was : Sprry ; to 'loarri thfit>thero. Auckland,'and lie w'ojild be only too. gkd to, return early from; Motuta'pu and ..meet - theme in the evening,:-' Anything:in reasoaihatvlie. .could do' to 'alleviate"the.-^position:Mo.would dqi It ;Was,riot.possible in thie , :or ftny other, country-to ; have.,matters > s6, : regulated:that; 'the. conditions f .of,.;'continued employfflent: .would ran with u'nbrokeh regularity.; :;~:; : ; ,:;_ ;•' ;A voice :'• Run everything a Stfite m.6nopo)y' and you, can do .it,y ,, -, ,;■:.'■./.■■ >.;.■': : ■' ■'} Sir.-:Joseph-Ward:■ Wo-inust:deal.with;!the world ; as.wo.;flnd iti. The Govorn'llient. of this country, is doing; the,best-;that it: Can towards .improving. conditions' -generall.v,. . In will .be. glad to go ■ thoroughly into tho,matter ahd-.do tho -best I- possibly, can.'; (Applause.);;: ;;; :■:;; ■ .:V:'>V,'--i^.:. ;: ■Mγ. , Way;. again.'-addressed'; the-gathering,-.; and .said, that their "deputation was :> 'c|uito prepared io,meet 'the Prime: Minister." ■ Ono ;of■ ■ tho things; .which ;the.; Gprernmbnt'\\could■ do was to p.ut.tt stop to the'-present method iof ."induoihgi'peoplo,;to come..to : believing that it' was a gqbd.iplacei,,to; niid, :Worfc;;'v .'.:;:''i : :\/"" ' :, :X'\.[ :: -- : -:^y':;■;. .. In.: ; the-eveningSir;Joseph received-' ; the': deputatibh, l .,the interview;lasting. 3J: hours, and.this wns'followed by'ahother'.dempnstra-. tiori.:- ,:"; : /-' ; -.-!- ; V ;;:"■'.' V-.'-:'."' -:■ - : '- •':''" ! .. , -'-:! '■£.''::'

.THE CRY ACAINST IMMIGRATION; ; ■■: •; 'tat. msasiHt—miss■ -associ ATibK.r ':'.'. ■''.'■' '•■■'. A' deputation of uriempldyed.waiited. on Sir: Joseph Ward last.night.-.yTha whole question 0f. , ; immigration ;was arid; it'was. stated there were : 600 Atnemployed in. Auckland.;: The -;• Prime, Minister promised' that work would be found ; oii' reprodiictiyo v works now going on for ; alli who wished' to : take it, ■.and .advised the , men to':register '-tbom-' selves at the_ Labour Buroau/; He alsolstatedthat ...the "High Commissioner only- assisted agricultural; immigraiitsj": and' ho d«'elfc r ' ; oa. the ■'■ importance, of' immigration' to.-a>yoti'iig country.' ; .No doiibt, he said; .somo I :.of'the shipping companies wero induoing people .to takp passages, to New Zealand, and perhaps; Ebme:of.the:oharitable institutions at; Homo assisted;-'others'; ; would bo made to ; tho' 'ehipping ..companies ;on■'.', tho matter.; ..He,'declinea to'.Btart relief works.- ■