THE UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 555, 9 July 1909, Page 8

THE UNEMPLOYED.

" — ; — ~y ■. .- - .' THE SEARCH FOR WORK. /•.'. APPLICANTS TQ DATE. ' ".'■ '•' Thpro/ seoms. to bo an idea ; in the niinds , of some citizens that a great number of'thb unemployed who apply fpr work do so' with, ['■ a feryent. prayer that they;will: not get it, . but the experience of hi 3; Worship the Mayor, , does not bear. this.out.'. Day after.day,'for [' several', weeks past, a great,deal of' Dr. '< Newman's time has been taken up in dealing with seekers, after employment, and a'con.- ;-■ siderablb number of- the hundreds' of 'inch '. who hav.o interviewed .tho. Mayor have ten ■ fotihd cmplqyment by • the j'corporatiou; In practically every' case tho .applicaritG' have sought work .genuinely,, and have literally; jumped at a. chanoo whenit was" offered, no, matter what, tho', work' happened to ''be, or ■ 'where'they-had to.go 'for'it. /As,,a'.gbrieral rule the/applicants, do not'"', want. charity, .but they want, work and the means of; i 'liv'- : inc./ .:■•/ "■'.' ■', '": ■'■';/-. 1 It. is understood that the scheme of treeplanting as. a means of. assisting the unemployed will probably, not • eventuate on' account of- ith.e 'Victoria' College.' extension works, haying' to :take].precedence.' of. allo'tber works.,, Tho executivo committee'of the Citizens'. Relief: Fund is to'mee.t'this/aftel/ ■ noon, when arrangements' willj'. 'it is' understood, bo made 'for a-'start' with this work nest .'week, ..probably on Tuesday.' .A. total'of 188; applications for/work haye been received up to' date.' 'The; secretary of. the Sawmills Union, of. Workers lias'-''fori, warded the names of' six. members of hia union who; arc( anxious' to get,work from; "t'he' : committee/, but" it is stated that, this number" does not' by any means' represent the-rium-ber of' men in. the union'.who are out'- of; ■■ .work,':as'the average unionist;does'cot,care .to , register.-his''hame.'''lt fs : staf«l that the sawmilling trade is'- in-.a very, bad''condition, and.a number of:.wprkers;. in tbis'tntde' who have lost, tlieir" 1 ' positions' are.-: drifting ■ into other avenues.of employment.'.' • ; ;. ' : ; ; '•"■ .'/ ' The.Mcretary.of' the 'Amalgamated'.Society of 'Painters. arid ; Decorators; lias 'forwafdea . thirteen namesi-'of' members.',who'.have "'liiti- • mated that they would : begladjbf; work' from the committee; 'and'tbe secretary considers there' may. be more; names-to hand; in- later;.' The Carpenters' and- Joiners' Union: has put in sixteen'names of mem6er3'\villmg ;to'do; troe-plaiiting or'any'other •class'.of; work'. . . "ItMs very hard to seo.my wife'and child in'want arid ; mb'unable to get work to.:cnablq me to keep; a'rug over them. I can't' last much'longer."' So runs an extract'from oneof the ,many ; . letterß received by the; secretary., of.'.the;Rclief;.Cpmmittee.-.' The: writer.' told' a sad story of his endeavours; work. He had. been to all the'likely places Without' success, and had then madoa housertp-house canvass', but still he could not, get /employment. 'His wife had gono. out.;washing to helpthe household along, but'she had/caught : cold- through''standing in water 'arid.'b'aying no change of boots; Thb'.rent ; was. butstandf ing, and the child of the house was; going to school, but' tho .parents"could;not'.buy. the' requisite'books. "Ihope you will'do'all you can to help me get work of some, kind" was the 'final' appeal.in., the. lotte'r.' ■'■';'; - '■_,:'■■■■'..■ SUBSCRIPTIONS./ ; .'.'/"■'!-■■ ] The secretary: of the Relief; Committee had' banked-£234 12s. up to yesterday afternoon, 1 and. still.had. £30: odd cashvii,hand.. The latest donations"are:-^'-'...:..•;;'. : -'' ,: ' .'■"•■''.':.'.'::>' :::•■./-/■'/•'■ s-:,h '. Sy&9yV'John'ston.^'.;.;-'-'-. > ;'. : .:;''\'.V...:'...25,.'.0' I ','o.' Anonymous', per .'Mrs.-.Kirk-';; /■;.:/ 25',' 0/ 0, Anonymous,'.per •Mrs; Kirk-"/-/;. 7/1s'• 0 .6' ■ Mrs;! S;. A.-Rhodes, per;Mrs:,New-vi-f/'v:*-' ■, .'. .;'man-■''':.'■ >•':'/.■■■'•■ • .;v' v - ; A-*.i'i^' f :,'.'j:" : '' l 20"--"tO-'-"0-Mrs: R^A^.Wright^V.^'.:'. ■&■■■■ .0-,0 •J:. Ashcroft ■■'.....'.' ..;■/-,-.■.'.':' ...., i. o,;,o '//Already acknowledged. ~. .v. 179 12: '0 ■■. Total: -«' //..;/ ''.::. 275-' 12 0 ' A sum of.£2 2s. from. "A Sympathiser" is acknowledged'by The Dominion. ■■'■'-' •, On Sunday > the': Rov.''.' J.... j; North / will preach at the' Baptist Qhurch, Vivian Street, on- the -question' of, unemployment. •-It ,is Intended also to makovan offering for the pro-, posed unemployment.,fundi','., j A SUBSCRiBER'S OBJECTION. A correspondent, ' 'Out ;'6f. Bounds,", writes as.'.under:—l' object, to the 1 .Victoria;■ College' grounds being finished off with citizens': money. My, reason is that sooner; or later the Government, would, be, forced to do the work, which the': Executive Committee now offers to help with. ; A goodly portion of the -subscribed'money was', obtained ;o'n. the .'understanding ■ that either -Anderson Park, or/the Mount Victoria Drive would be'benefited arid tree-planting : carried / put in'appropriate' places., It would' b? better, for.the money; to be spent on these works still, even without the' Government subsidy, for the direct benefit would bo.to'every class of the community/ whereas the present proposal only ■ gives luxurious surroundings -to a Government institution. The' : work tb be done' on the col- . lege site will want good' navvies, who are uscd-.'to trimming .earthwork, in an' orderly manner r.nd , : with6ut damage .to': building's, etc./and only a small gang 'can be employed: at alii The:.class.',of men, offering at present would hot N e.arri'."saut to. their kail" ,at the college;grounds, and are.only fit to:use the shovel in places;where the 'spoil' can be , loosened;'for.themf by explosives or ploughs. Further, the cost of;'shifting, the-spoil' on the college ground mean's that; a", big propbr- ,' tton,,of -ilie.' fund-will'go- in.'horse hire.'. In j fact) 'a..mbro;;unsuitablo.;jol).for the-olass,of i labour.'to.be'benefited could -not" have .been • decided on. 'Has'thb: claim, of ..the : new'.re-- ' creation/ground" at Lyell;Bay- been considered ■' Exedutiye-Committee?'.', .The"-stu'ff . ;there'-'is.'sand/and,should'.be easily shifted . 1 :'by ; ;r.inatbur'/navvies.."; i Tlie,' Maranui/Ldhf!. Syndicate, gave .'a good.'object-lesson recently. ' ,ih'sand-shifting."'. " ;'..•/.:':■-..• / ".'■ "NOT SO' DISTRESSFUL ; 'AB WOULD: ' ' '■".•'" '^ : - ':,'', '„/" ,/ : : ' .-'• (By:.Telegraph:/Special-:c'orresponiJent.) '•■;.'.• '■■;■ '"■'■■. "\-i : .;.-,! .: : ''i/f'Aucklandi July 8.;- • .; .Matters-'-femain much■'as-ithey. were.in.re-; ' gard;to.'the 'unemployed 'and'the ; local labour bureau.daily'receives.'calls' from a Vfair.'number. 'of ■' men: in ; search : of: possible v Sevcral.-'of 'thpse-wlio-are;more or less'.in..touch'with: the',.finding'-^andar- 1 rangiiig- of, .employment for; tlie ■ wprkles's do not .regard thb ; 'situation; in" Auckland, how-; ey'or; being-sb:distressful as .would appear. • on the;.face -of, things, but''.conside'r:.that the : [rather-:-e'xceptipnally'.:prbsperous -times, that ; have'been exporioriced,; for '.a. 1 long .'while till' ;' . lately give.t.hejpresent comparative pinch a .. complexion,: 'that ! niost : towns- the .size of Aucklind\w,ould accept'as'.being-little more ' than normal -for::,this ' period' of the' year." About a score of men-were: dispatched to the Gisborne raijway. works on Tuesday, and 1 ah-, otjier', batch- will,. probably' • go south ' next week, while the city 'council, are putting works in- handthat'will give temporary work to 18 or 20' men. . A' suggestion l sent, to the' Miriister for 7 Labour by Mr.' C-H. Poble/,M«P., .was;that;'a',solution.of the;unemployedfdiffi- ■'. culty.might.be found.in,the clearing of.areas, of'bnsh Jandin close proximity'to Auckland-, A duaT ; pur Dose, it was' contended, coipd be . ■served 'if. this were done, the better 'cjass of ; timber beingusedfor,milling purposes/while ; the poorer Duality could be. sent "into the ; l city and-sold, as cheap winter, fuel.' This suggestion was '■ forwarded to' the Minister ! and. acknowledged, but nothing.further:has' •', been;done: in, the matter/ ':'■•'•:. ."■".; y . WORKS AT: WANCANUI. • -,' . (By,.Telegraph—Press. Association.).. ';'•' [ .-. / •,"'■:''•■"'■"' ' ''■/ Wanganuf, July 8. ' .'ln'response to' the: Buroiigh ; Council's' in- '■ vitation, "sixty-five unemployed handed'' in •. their mines to-day. .Thb majority,!will'he employed/ on works which the. council has '' authorised[for'.the purpose.' ; •' 1 REVOLUTIONARY SPEECHES. ' Chrlstchuroli,'July 8. • • A meetiue of; unemployed/convened by ithe Trades, and Labour Council's .Unemployed j Committee. was charMterised by ■ revolution- ] ary remarks by, some of the, speakers, who | are.also.members of tho.Socialist jiarty. One ': speaker referred mob'that: John Burns; 1 and others incited to pillagethe shops of the West End, London, and'said that if-'tho ( :C.hristchurch/Cit.y Council _ refused/to stir- ( any quicker than it was; doing, it was. likely f to hove greatett responaibilities in the: way j of' providing' policemen aid' soldiers.' There e

were some present, he added, who - came from the O]d Land—a number, of Scotsmen with, a little "blood"'in thdm, as well as a fpw Yprkshircmen and Lancashiremeh, and: if :tlic. "old chums" were not '. likely to strike, ho couldi 'assurp them that the""new chums"''.would! '(Applause.) ''If the men whp'...wero. starving could npt 'fight for themselves,', he 'was . prepared to do. a Ijttlo, fight-. ing in/order; to. have-' their rights asserted. ■-'■ - Another .speaker said: :: -" If 1 were' in 'the position' ,of the men out of work • I would bo; looking, about, for-dynamito:" ' The.: meeting:.resolved i-t 1 " That thp Minis-' tpr for Labour bo informed tltat the position, of thp. unemployed is, still acute, and .that, in, the, opinion of-this meeting,' the' authori?' ties hayb not taken adequate stops to relievo thp distress." 'It. was also;'decided' to prpr against tho City. Council's action, in using a donation for; tho relief of the- unemploy«d ratepayers,by violating the.-minimum ..'wage'principle; also, that the local, members of Parliament be' asked .to. confer' with' the unemployed on the; question' of./'tbe; introduction pt. a, Bill' '■■'■'■ ■■■' ■','"———. •'■'■ ..'.■' .''.'■• ■ NO MORE BU.SHFei.LERS. ; (By Telceraph.—Press Association.) . ■ .. 'V . . Christchurch, July 8. The Minister for Labour, replying 'to.-a. suggestion of Mr. Ell,. M.P., stated that, he regretted that, he could.riot, at present give instructions'■ to ..dispatch another party for". North Island bushielling contracts.' Of a party. of ■' 13 men for the Midland railway works 15 turned up. this morning, .and left! for; , tho works. •'"" -■ .-.•-■■ '.; '.'' ''■ POSITION AT NAPIER. ''■?-■■'■';■■■'j ' i'• ■ Napfor, July.-7.; A meeting of unemployed iii Napier, was held this afternoon, 'and was. attended byabout a hundred men. Councillor W. J: M'Grath, \vho was voted to the chair/,'said thp unemployed difficulty in Napier' was considerably worse than, some- persons were.prepared, to admit. .The Acting-Prime Minister had telegraphed that at' present the Government/ could: not do any rnoro.'.than it was doing': A representative of the Labour Department' had received instructions to,v send five ■married men.to Gisborne on the .follow-, ing day.'] ' It' was resolved to. request tho Borough Council to render , every''assistance it could; and : that 'those; pre.sent wprpi prepared. Under thc'circumstaaces'to accept.oneshilling', per hour conditionally on permits ■ being; grant-ed by the. Wellington branch of: the GeneralxLabburers' TJhioji. ; It:was- 1 also, decided to ask the Public .Works Department, to 'have; tho exteriors of. the Government Buildings painted;' with the object, of relieving.* tho unemployed' painters. About' 70 names'.of.inen''but .of .work iwero about,half, ofwhom are married; /Included in the' unemployed / .are a largo, proportion of comparatively recent arrivals.' "'' •''•''.• .'■• -The Borough Councilitornight discussed tho nneniplpyed question, and instructed the overseer/.to: take on a fejv:\meri;.in' the, meantime, preference to be given, to thosS who aro married.;,;. ■'-,•.' y'V,: ■~ "'_■'_ ...',!■,.;,'■.'■•;•'' "■'■■'.'■,. • (I?y. Telecrnph.— Special OorrcsDondcnt.v : . : ' : ..:,';,' "' ; -■_'■, ' Naples July.B. r The unemployed difficulty, .in: Napier 'still remains 'acute,' althpughi-a , private, effort, is. being made\tp relieve cases.'of distress. , ' A depot has' been. opened by the, Charitable Aid Board for the distribution of fpod arid-cloth-. ingj Council; have decided;to. put.as'many, men '-as. possible.on'corporation; ■v?orks. , . , '.At' a.'meeting;of, 'the;council', last, evening , ' the : /May6r < (Mr.s. J. . Vigor ' Brown, M'.Pj)'' strongly.opposed the' wages; offthe -lab-: , , ou'ring'staff, being- reduced! from 95.. a day to prpvjd^ , additional'worjii.. A;s'omewbat-,amus-' ing. situatipii; has-arisen- ill ; v cqnnectiqn. with , , thp;meeting of the .uriemployed,' Keldiheroi-yes-' 1 tefdftjS when; a; resolution-'was..passed ■asking; the.v Public Wqflis.iDepartpient'to paint ■ the' oxterior'offhe Napier Courthouse-as a means of relieving the unemployed',painters.; " TJae 'motion 'was;mpved by.one prominent member of" the Painters'. Union, and seconded by an-. other, and both -were evidently ignprant: of the fact' that the Public. Works Department havo already decided tp'.undertake thp wprk, aiid -tenders for a "painting contract for the building were returnable to-day., To inako matters more absurd,,tho/Hon. B. Minister for Public Works, wired tothe chairman bftho meeting (Mr. H. J. M'Grath)'today stating r that. ho' was '.securing'.a report'on. the subject , of the ■ painting of; the :. courthpuse.': ;'-. ;'-.'•',:'.'/,;'.'",■■■■''."■.; '■'■'; ■' .According to letters rccoived by'.. the- secretary . of ■ the General Labourers' Unionj 'it. seems that the Napier Borough Council dismissed sixteen of it's ■'• permanent hands on Saturday last; and. more, it is stated, are to follow. It appears that when the recent loan proposals for the raising. of' £135,000.' were', carried .by; the', Napier' Council, a large, number vof' labourers -immediately ■ wended their, way. to/Napier, as a; result' of, the -fact h.aVipg'.been- , telegraphed all'-.over. Now.:Zealarid. ■ On..'arrival' it "was found- -that-, the loin.'.proposal?'had. been ■submitted, to.-the ratepayers in such; a form that'.'if;thp. loan had' been : raised , it: could not.-, have been floated as. cheaply as ...the /authorities , desirod. 'Consequently,... it,, was'decided .to'; resubmit the:-,proposals; in'.another.'. .forriij- thefpby-eii : abling a .saving l of. about; £2600',t0.be made in• l the.;.flotation; , ;expenses and interest. .In the works, it was'proposed to, put: iii, hr.nd .'Vvith: the money, could.only be proceeded with-in a small way. A limited sum .was allowed, by the banks by .way' of oyqrdraft'; pending the. loan proposals being resubmitted; The position, 'the letter adds; is "that dozens, of/men; are relying,on--casual w;ork • on- the wharf,, and >the : number; of, men out.of;.work ha.s.cpnsequently;.been-increased considerably,-.whilst the fact of the Borough Council .reducing; its staff is-making the posj■tipn'imore'.acute. . Members of-the . General' Labourers" TTnion •'■ have thought ■; of. • standing off-'.for. one day in , the week; in- order that some:ofvthe, unemployed , ,might ; .be: given:- a chance of doing 'enough : to, in' some measure, , ,relieve ;• ' ; ; :