THE UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 439, 23 February 1909, Page 7

THE UNEMPLOYED.

; : I ■ ; ■2: Reputation fo the premier. }VT3AT ;IS PEE- ' : : i;'-;:vVv''';V :: V-':? AB^^?Q: 'Da;. ; -;,-;'V-- >;-/-v'O(DI IBtEGHiTH— '- .:- ■-.■'-">"': ■■:■/-.:"-■ Auckland, -February 22, ■'•',•■ ':f;° : :The unemployed; , probleni .and';ite-intimat*.■;-"; association with the question of ■ immigration V.S;; has never .been; more thoroughly; thrashed out; , . ■; v than it (was' at, the .conference between: Sir,';/' : Joseph /Ward' and -prominent kbour/inen and; ■■■: Socialists'; on. 'Saturday< ni^ht.' , . :i.s' sta'ted .ia- '•' :' : a :fonaer.'message, 'tKe".conference;; referred...: to lasted three'Kours'and half-'"'-;-'■'f ;• ■ i ; ■'. . , The questions at JEsuo. were ; broached by ; s ;■ . Mr. T. Long (preadeat ;pf .the. Trades' and: iabour.Council),:who stated to ■"' ;llinieter,that;the .deputation: wished.to' bring under; notice the/misrepresentafion going on ■„': at. Home,, by . whicK people •. were induced; jto, • '■; come here, and,then had to join of tko;unemployed.:. jThe/.near;;approach 0f ,, -r; winter, -the., coming .of -such ,large: bodies.of ,; immigran,te ; and the presence; of. so: many ■.'':.■ unemployed:made.-tho outlook for.spm'e time' V, : . ' ahead 'a- somewhat j gloomy. one,: and, I '. more-;, v over,, there. , ; yras : Snancial;.depression'.'-. •Jα.: '• various, parts , of .'the'world.; : One \' : ' been^in : Auckland:since vi: .;not"beoii' aj^:vto:;get'6ne : vhour's v 'Wdr.k-yet, and there, were otheTS ,: insiike .condition.. ■.' If-.'.'. fche-.Goyernmeni; induped people:,to ; come ; ■'-t0.:....'-' Government (to/'piovide; them ; jw,ith.'.worki' ; It •■ .■ .sh'ouHi'stop.-; assi^ing-Mmig^ationjjfor^a'; •! ■ period-of 12^nths; : ; ,: yV -■■ : *X'.: ] . *'i '^'; : :iUv' !;Mr. are; induced. to ; v come-':••. ■here thrbugh public, moneyv being' uEcd,;.to ;- A! .send lecturers round witli' ; .lanter'nsr/ and'jglowing'st<>pMVf : %ii' : cojntry..-"V'''rV,vVJ: : !".;Sir;^sep^:'^ardiThe , ;paid by'the.Now^'Zealand^Government. '■■:(■ .V. : ".■/. Mr.: Arthur Eosser V-: ! ' ■Becr.etery>'he'.'had';beenJ)rbu'^t''.intp''cOT]^ci^v'' ; \vith'a number of nien who Had been .Droughtv'v;' here, by- interested. parties' istances; in;: whjch •new': krrivals:Md- applied' •to.^: ,, I him ■" tpT to.-: Work.: at'; underrafe.;.; ; .wages.;^ v ,:At : i tbe;very:;lpwestvestimate'\there , : :500 v&gn. -ip iAucklandV at\ ? :? ■preMnJ; ; ";jt.^aW/iMy^yrars- : -'.sinceVthe- ; "Ti'n«:;'. ; -'? oin'ployed, difficulty '.had been so 'pronounced;-;'::;' ■:"4he,;,secretaryi;of \the\;Amalgamated: Car-:;'.; pent.ers' ; : had i /paid Jmore;-', ■:iii'. unemployed --: allowahcea >■.': . during last;: ; fpur ; :inonths• : tha'tf. it : had Vpaidvfor eight iyears;:/ i-:io!: ; .':

V MINISTER'S : > ■;■.■' : .Sm JosephVWard utterly wrougVidela'prevailing''regarding ,tlie,'■ ■■• policy, of''the;'.Government ■■' ili'tlie 'matter; of ';v immigration.';;'.• Aftor; .the':':deputation,; during 3: : '}i?t: ■ a'esaiou''^ofj s /.'Parlian^injfc; 1 ilie ,■ cabled''.to ■:;■, j : . 'excepting-, agHcvtlturists: ; : ;';Trhtf- : :';'had: money,' and: excepting • ,3omostic "■•. seryants, 1 - ;f ■the"'eyst.em - - of, assisted iinniigraUbn■ : was : ' , iot-i"; ; '.-' ..to;',be'. extended '■■■to : ; anyone, 1 and\thp-.High; : >~ .Commissioner;. replied .that', that was ; ';aU tnat'S'. : vras ; being, done.' jHe/.^Si.r.CJose'phJ-.'was.Vjust:.;.' ■ asf- 'faitiiliaj? I .wiihj-y. ihe rt'-Vositioii ;; regardmg.:. ! .. ;&e'6hiMiiS^ifd!-ibtlier:Hr'4a&men!;\as''tte , putation,iaidvlie;;had f . said' that% tliat ..class; should'-not ■'be. assisted -.because'■sVPeople were' arriving >in' nearly >* coming ; rt6-- : these : :^ .assistance;;:; whateyer,V -aiid. ■ the ; Government '■': ;'. ,had.i^pv : lebtu^β^^ l viJ■■■reprMOT^tivβ^<)f ;^liβ'.;;:•■. ;Salration , ';Army.;;had' inade proposal?".to 'hinvS' iregarding.theirbnngihg Joiit of: vf ■pebpleV-butlie^had: at-once'■perused,! "pointing^-v----'■6icit^:tnat'''bnlyypraWi(^v;:farmV;''men'-""were,i::;'; wanted., 1 :-The;pre.vibus. r e'vening-te.:had tele-; ■'-.: graphed .to and\received- a.icopy: ;',' ■of^the.vinstrortiqns^^^ sioner, l "and' these I shqwcd':!6onolnsi7ely..4hat .; ; \ .ftie"High': Commissioner was: only' l -jtermitted"..-'; to;"_ grant; ;■.' as?istance;:; ■ to;-. ; agri?nltnrists: with ,; jfipeoplev got;- assistances who were ■■'■'' ■riot :agrictdturis!jsht- couldi-.bnly -be aft«r;con-; side Fable ' : :misrepr>s'eitati6h.'."..dii:'.; : tlieir part.lni9os'-,the l ambnn.t.qf .pioheybrought ■.;; in.',•.by..*those!;pa*ssed.;byi-th,e, .High-,:Cdmniis--■' .'signer" : was .■ £110,204 ;. ; , : 'ia'■:' 1906'- ; : it ■'•'' was : £114 1 689- J -: , .in-1907'.£70 ) 066 1 -:/-aid-i.sin ; '!. : '-l?08 : £9?i362iV;;The ; great -,hu\% ;,of , those ■ passed--;.:i-were 'bieniwho'; would.?notj I jiii I: ' ( the' .ordicary'V coursoy '001116 ..into ■ competitioni i labour' ;hero.;>..; p Thiß ; ?.cpuntryv'c&ul^ -.caiTy .;!an;, : enbr- :. imous .population-p1.5,. or.'.£2pi.,milli6ns,i or:; more.: ; ,:The' Gbyernment. was.' carrying pn; ?'... , great I; internal' : ; devblbpinent -V wis..a '. part",sblntibiij.-pf ■ some, of ;the : .diffi-.',';■.-; culties referred,;to;by the"; deputation!;: i The ; Gqyernme.ntSliadj ; heXn;V'atid!"stai.,^as w -'ti7sng:-- , - : tq.;'i,carry; ]ok ' jandV. settlement' '■' policy-in ,the, ihteriqr,/; The normal ;bf'population" hadrfee)tt^and : : r still;iwaSj f ab-':'; \sqlntelyr.iinadequste";j» / ;'mMttthe. : '-ordinaJ7>':': development of: the .cbuhtry,r'and. '.if theV ,'-: country: .went."on. with, only ithe'iiatnral-in^:; K: . crease.iof pppiilatjbn.,"\,it;;,would be only, a■: ■'.: question ofVtuiie;.!^when- would nqt.be'.abloJ''\ to Tieep" : eveiX-Ithb factories going; , . /Ai'seiioue; ,; condition of affairs would-soon arise.' ... :""' >.;■

■■ ;■ "I w_ill'.cablo.'to-the-'HighiCominissioner,"' he: said^'i"^^^';^^.^^*^^^'^'.^^^^'?--.©?. , men; are' , cbnjing^here/whpj'are;not ■fagricul- , .- tufists'; '■ and(fbr/'whom'.tharei : is -no. employ-^ rami."- P;^ : '',m : '■-■'■■ ■;-:-/.

;.' The Prime Mmister.TOnton to : say that not' more/than/a •.;quarter:: of/tho. .667/ on .' the 1 Athenio-were directly/or. indirectiy by;tho Government.!A'very-large proportion of; ; 'pedple-"-cpming'-'j.bpt -. :were/-■ people who-:\.t had : /been;::. nominated :' by . rela» -tiyes:-already here. /?:■/;?.-./'^.: / ->\": '■■■'■ ~'^f.-■■'■--i-'-'-/:.''NoW/'' -added; the ;Prime.;Ministerr; "IcT;.me/ deal;.with .yonr ■ local '■;■ question!- \:/i-: wik give definite'instructions .that .upon; our ~reproductivo.wbrksj which is the. ;o"nly..thing the Government ;;at -thb. : moment'-, cm". do,, work shall be: offered- ,'to;.all; who 'are",willingVto do pay "for aU'who C3n.^ake^£;';;///'-"' ! i;; • -V' .:■' Mr.■■: Long :■ AYe vbave' failed m' arrive' at ; . a' .'satisfaotbjry J conclusion.. -.Is'thire ; no possi;.bility '..'.of.ithe/. GoyernihenV doing something ■at 1 -once , ?: , ;:i ; -- y v ■ '";.•■■..■... -U." ;

' : ,;.' Sir ■ Joseph':'lf :you are urging me to adopt i; policy of extreme. Socialism I ''not prepared tbfdo it;' : ir am"prepared-to , "try.;to; find.omploynient',fpr : those who wani'.it';,-:-:"-;'-'/' ■; ;, /-/^EPU^I^H; : TO^Tp':MAYOfI.'/^ ';"'■■: ; CBt '-.'.'■'■' ..■;.-'/- : V^:v s ?'"l r:^.I ;f;Auclllandj- ; ;; A •:deputation representing ■ unemployed: :invAucldand/waited''iipon/tho'-Mayor (Mr. A.:;.M.-.Myers)Zto-{lay J -and.vasked':]that/the ; :City/Council shbiild-'immediately: go'ipil- with . some of the municipal, iyo'rks' author'iEed, and -thus.:give relief iamont.' :..;■;:■ -..>.;.■■■:■;■•!/' :t.iiV: ;/;//U;'i/j> '*'■:■''" ■'..: Mr.-ili. P. : ;Way c statedithat 'the'.position •was'Jmbre; acute..nbw.;thau : ;itfhadibeen for; :mariy , :years;-;p'ast x^K"'v;/;3//-' j/i; ; / : v ■ :/Mr. Davis 1 ;(president':'of; thei Political Xab--our Leagne)'.;saicl ■ he, ; .was euro;there ivero at; least 600-r.unemplpyed ,in ; -Auckland,.; He wpuldvgb 'further',':and ; compute" ; the number put of work as. nearer 1000.'.:■:./' / ;;/' ; .;, '■■': Another. rnember;"bf; "tlid".'" deputation,■■■ <> a~ miner, .said , there scores . :of men in Auckland existing. ; pu;'.oho :moal a" day;./ / v , : The. Mayor said, .the.:.Prime/Miriister/liad promised to;,]ook.thorc!Ughly/infe'.ihe matter, but presumably/they' wanted something moro practical, than.:.that./'/(Hear,:hear.)... Now Zealand; wanted ;popuiation;..althoughit;was, of conise; desirable. that tho tide of/immigration Should; if;lpossiblev -. : be,-restricted/to . pepple; .of K the.right .kind, .arid.more, particur larlj.men ..who would-work" on the land.-;, ; , rOne'bfrtho.deputatibn: Yeis,: if'the Government can bo porsuaded to pponup-tho'land. ; 3ilr;LMyorß:.That'is:so. / ••';"''■■■:■ «/:r/ r -.;; ,

Contiratrog,; the; Mayor said the oouricil was now n\aWng.-preparation:.for^tlie ! :employment of mow.meii upon.some of.the- municipal works whiclil Inavb -been.;, authorised.- .Ho would go into ; tlio;whole,question; witli.the City Engineer at onco,' and- setf what could he done. The improsßwn had been icreated .that thero' \vere simply "using the present acuto circumsthhees.fOT. tho pur- : pos'es,.of Socialism,;, he', suggested, that they prepare-a li&t;as:sopn as.possih!t> giving the nameof"every.man,oiit.'pf euiploj'ment. ; ■-/.■•Jfc.-'M3^.^-'thea-\' i 'rM%''':'-n^' : Bureau, ;and-..leagued; 1 thatUliey'.had.foundwork' for' 236 'sineb:-tlid"'.begimiing :'of' tho 172 meu.nnw.-ioiLtheii Jiooks.