THE UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 556, 10 July 1909, Page 7

THE UNEMPLOYED.

RELIEF COMMITTEE CONFERS. , WORK TO START NEXT WEEK. RATE OF WAGES SETTLED. ■, ■ ; A meeting:of the Executive Committee of ..■,the.\Citizens! Relief , Fund was held in the . Town-Hall'yesterday afternoon.. There were , , v present: His Worship tho Mayor (ohairman), Hon.- J. : E. Jenkimon;Messrs. R. A. Wright, M.P., ¥. M. I}. Fisher, M.P., R. C. Kirk, \Y.;,O. Noqt, and J. E. Fitzgorald. A'portion. ,v of i. the.; proceedings .was t taken:■ in committee. , . It,.was .decidcd that all funds be paid for work'.done and 'not as oharity. : Sir. Kirk 1 , reported that tho Victoria Collogo Council ' had ,deoided :to-accept the offer of the 1 Citi- . sens'. Committeo, anil had agreed to expend ....... tho.njoney. iu>conjunction with tho committee. ./.The offer of a.£ for-:£ subsidy by the was accepted, by the committeo, " "e.Wprkat Victoria College is to bo carried : .out ."under• the- supervision of Mr. W. H. Morton, City Engineer, and ratoof pay will . : per day, tho men to be engaged by the w_eek. lt ,was also rcsolvcdthatpreference . of bo.givon to,'bona fide resi- : dents., of r Wellington, those' with people dov pendent on,, them to be given the first oppor- ■ vJW'teofi getting, work. In 'view of the fact • 'hat; the work to -bo carried out at Victoria ~..-v:...yoll^gei v jWijl . benefit the Hospital Trustees, ,i jt was decided to ask the trustees to contrim? ■ som °thing towards the relief fund. ■ ,"n e Mayor intimated that a number of the churches >were .willing to take up a colleotion in aid of tho fund, and he. bad received a m .% s , s ap® front, one olorgyinan- asking' if tho committee would,approve such an action. On . 1 J?® .potion of ■ Mr. Wright, it- was decided ■ .• to aSK tho. ohurchea .to take up l a retiringi . ~ ory spma :othor collcction, to aid the fund. v / iWas on /the suggestion of Mr.' take up. collections per medium of ilospital .boxes, which the various hotelKeepers and others: might bo prepared to pluce / ( on . their counters. 1 . / . : . Mr. ,Wright thought iti might be ■ possible to arrange with,- say, the Garrison Band, to . i -?n open-air ;performanco at' the Basin ' y some oiher.placvand so augment ■ « A. sub-committfio, -consisting of Mfesrs. Fitzgerald, -Wright, and Fisher, was ■ ®PP oln ' e d to take all, arrangements torfflUßC.l entertainments. that tho Victoria wllege students intended givinc an enter- ' n l afe % th ; T r n ? all ° n next ;; "'i ; 3:v ,d » 4 ;°f ™ and several-oombmations . mSS&° S!'"' y *'>»'«' " »'«■»»' i UjM'"' contended that the various rnfer ° W ? Bnd h , B tlleatrital cOmpMits , might ,ilso give a night towards the fund if ?? wer ® approaehed. . Jel ik i nß°n painted out that the Harof £q(?nnn u*,',* 11 ,™ an expenditure ' be 1 °v the board «Honld' be ajipioached and asked to hnrrv on the m< ? no y as eiblevand limit tho timo for,tho completion be' 'Rn Tw%l 0 ' aS s J lorta as could 3s ° t , h , flt tho contractor would have to aihlfl Th B nt' I ?™ bor of mon Posnni\ i • collect, ,°, n3 committeo was now-taking up would only last a few weeks i W#s m et 40 wait on tho , 9 l sri^° ar , : on Tuesday next ; ! . \pW s ?'d he would liko to see the 3, organised more fully. After tho committee- had mot the Victoria Colloeo . Council, _ho -thought the full' general 'com-' mitted 1 be callcd togefher, and the •.V,' y.^i o sSUestion .of .. organisation: gono- into It was resolved that a meeting of the cenj eral committee be called for next WednesTnwn^Tr n 'i1 e ' T , h , O , Ma y° r intimated that the kg., WOUld ba for the meet-

Mi;. Fisher pointed'out that there were some, Men m Wellington, who did not intend an , d T° UW " ot >'f employment YZV T bhem -, H ® personally iad seen "J. be carried out. , , ' trS^^ r: "I Wo ' '-havo' much wasters.,, If they won't work tL T e going to-get money"" ; plovJ™ led v h f at ' no , sin e'° emSfitet^LlfuXu' 0 has ref,iscd doner with spoil from Anderson 'Park, but ' mn«i& ropo fu " n no favour with ' the meetirig, the opinion being that the snoil T -K® ' D< ; edcil . and, further TOuld cost several times as Thl % prosent filling arrangements. The Mayor intimated that tho citv enri. to C °h, n ;h M °^ n) ™ S lWUin ? <""1 a»=rious to help .the movement, but he found that nW-« i lO I ? culty i n ,procuring enough picks,..,shovels, .etc., and 4arts' ; would 'also r ? qu !t, 'A", the shovels, ete. belongn«d' f°h' COU " t ? 11 . at P rea ®t in usei "A 110 cai'nitteo did hot msh to spend any, of the fund on material, when it mMit , b » >" wages. Ho (the speaker! thought the Government might be able to nnS P '? necessary tools. Messrs. Fisher and Jonkmson were deputed to approach 'the'&. rn 560 if thc ' y Collld lotld , I r^l r ;;« Jen il ri T n - that wEen the a niimhnr s wero cotnmonced a number of, ironmongers gave picks, shovels, .. etc., fortho use of tho workors.' . ■ ■' mipnlnt? ,r » tkero was certain cawntormg work which: needed doing ini? ll go ' and tho l uestiou had been raisod whether carpenters could not DO; put on this work. • " • .< > r Mu U:d ou , t - that thero was now about £380 to the credit of tho fund, and •• tho Government'subsidy gavo tho committee £760 to work on. He understood that there was a Certain amount of work that,-could be done on the collego grounds 1 ?! i 0 J U> ,? s romovin e hummocks, eto.. some of tho men most urgently m need might be piit Qn these preliminary works at onco, before 'the main .-.ya® drafted,out by the city engineer. Un Mr. Fisher's motion it was decided that the eity engineer should be asked to start i working as soon as possiblo." l ' »' ■' j.' PRIVATE .WORK. In' conversation with his Worship the Major yesterday morning a representative of ' ICHE.,?1 C HE .,?: OMIM0 N informed that a number of citrons, who are realjsing the great neccssity there is for finding work of various Kinds to tide ;the unemployed over the winter) have decided \to put privato work in hand which they had not intended limin K dono until the summer or eVon later: For " instance, one settler had, decided to add to hi3 : :,house .at' once instead . of:' Laving work : doiie./Bix: months heilce,: ns;:h'o had diiticipated. and ho had just engaged v ten carpenters. who would/be employed throughout the, winter. -. Another, gentleman,-who nas o ■ veryvJarge houso, winch ,ho was going to b»yo.";painted . in , tho :;summorj had dewdod : , t0... put the work > in ( hand at once/ and theieby :give , employment • to ' a humunemployed ' painters:: : Othor people : had. intimated' that: they intend having a ' , little extra- work dono in their gardens. Dr. . . Newman , considers,-, that •, if citizons - would ;-. exercise a little thought and kindness thov .: could put a number of little jobs in hand, anil help ..the less fortunate. - Work was absolu- : toly necessary now, and would bo oven moro useful vthan snbaonptiona, and ho wonld sugV . gost'-to the kindly-hearted in the community that; they might bo able :to find works as ■ instanced above, and so help those in diVtress. "If all tho people who have tho means and.propose to do works put themselves out a little and get tho work in hand at once," concluded his Worship, "there is no doubt > .the .unemployed difficulty would 'be settled . - within a very short .time." , NUMBER OF APPLICANTS. . A total of 270/ applicants have registered their hames with the Itehef Committee so . far, ' r and an analysis madeof 220 'of':: those Bhows/.that 112 are married with familiea de-' pbndent on them, whilst 108 are single; Of . this 220 about 150 have parents and families . dependent on them. - '.GENERAL LABOURERB' UNION. 1' / The General Labourers' Union will not, insist on the payment of ss. entrance fee from any genuinely distressed worker desirous of availing > himself, of, work offered by the Un-.

employed Belief Committee. The union has been assured that the award will not be infringed, and recognises that thero may bo cases whoro t!ho want of 53. might prevent man getting access to work. The union at last night's mooting unanimously resolved to allow workers engaged by- the committee to become mcmbors of the union without, payment of fee. . ■.' .' /' subscriptions. The secretary of the fund had b.mked £345 up to yesterday, the latest donations being as under: — £ s. d. J. Staples and Co. ... ... ... 50 0 0 J. P. Luke, M.P. ... ... ... 10 0 0 Bishop Wallis ... 10 0 0 Levin and Co. ... i. 26 5 0 (}. E. Tolliurst ...' 10 0 0 Mrs. Amelia, Nathan ... ... 10 10 0 William Campbell ... ... v, ... 55 0 Wellington Tailors'. Union... ■ ... 5 5 0 Rev. A. W. H. Compton ... . ... 11 0 Watkins, Tyler,.and Tolan,Jjtd. ... 2, 2 0 .Trades and Labour Council ... 10 0 0 Chas; PalliscT , ... ./. ... , 5 0 0 Barber and Co. ... ... ... 5 0 0 Edward Anderson and C 0.... ... 5, 0 0 C. Robinson ... ... .... ... 3 3 0 G. E. Richardson ~.. ... 1 Iso W. E. Richardson..,.. ..... "... 1, 1■ 0 Miss Rotheram ... ... ... 1 10 E. Kirkland ... ... ... 110 • Several oases of extreme want have been met by Messrs. :S. Brown, Ltd., who have mado a number of donations of fuel in cases brought under their notice by tho secretary of the Relief Committee. . i A.subscription list in aid of the Mayor's Unemployed Fund started in tho General Post Office has already reached £25, and donations are still coming-in. <■ :''J- ; TRADES COUNCIL AND THE I UNEMPLOYED. , At.Thursday night's meeting of tho Traded I Council, Mr. M'Laren moved: "That this council distinctly affirms , its opinion ,that the. prosent means adopted : of finding ' work for the unemployed .by means of volvuitary subscription's, backed by ;a' State . subsidy, ..is merely a toying with the economic .situation, and entirely inadequate as (aYgroper ..means, for tbe general body of workers." Ho desired ifr to be clearly defined that J the council ...only assisted the present rolief to meot , individual cases of distress, and'that its action was in no way to be taker, as a precedent. ' The motion was carried. • / BUSH-FELLINC WORK. "I am- informed' on good authority (writes a correspondent of i the Patea "Press") that 20.0f those men who wero employed'at bushfelling at:Waitotara havo rotired from their jiositiens. It is'alleged too that • they are first-alass, men,. skilled and practised bushmen. 'Their protest is that they were put in gangs among others who wero unskilled, land they could not soe tho forco of others gaining the bonefit of,_their" hard-earned skill. Payment •is fixed in accordance with -the area;' each gang covers so that if their contention isoorrect they have reasonable grounds for complaint." ' • "VERY ACUTE." (By ; Teleerapb.—Press Association.) . ■ : _ ■.■■■ Auckland, July 9. -The. president of the Auckland Trades and Labouiv Council (Mr. T: Long) states that the unemployed difficulty in Auckland is a vory. acuto one. Fivo hundred is a very low estimate pf tho number of mon out of work, and, as a result of tho continued wet weather at present being experienced, there is a great-deal of .distress. A< committee has. been set up for the purpose of arranging a public meeting, which all tko'Auckland membors of Parliament will bo invited to attend.

MEETINC AT! DUNEDIN,

(By Telegraph.—Press, Association.) Dunedln, July 9. , A meeting! ofitherunemployedimombers of' the -combined building strades unions'"was lwld v -thisi-o 'Trades-.Halli-about 250 boing present,' -'a "-largo ' number ■ being. comparatively- young: mon. - Some of those presont, it was afterwards were general labourers,- • and' not-'-connected 7 •with-the building trades/ The fijSt' ■Mr. W. 'Warren, after expressing tho opin-, ion that it wasadisgracethat such a fruity' ful country aB this should- be plunged' into an unemployed problem, proposed a very long . motion, the substance of which •was-thati under an' intelligent- syßtem:;bf industry employment means the production and distribution of .wealth for consumption and not for- monetary profit, and that the Government should . tako ■ immediate, action to bring .about: upon., scientific lines the -organisation of industries, with the 1 object of • ultimately bringing-,into operation a Socialiisod systetn of production for universal benefit, and not individual profit. The-motion was .carried' unanimously. The chairman asked the carpenters present to put up their hands, and about fifty responded. Forty-two held up thoir hands as having been out of' work for a: wook; ton : from two to thrco weeks, and eight for one month: Twenty-eight, painters'signified that thoy had been out of work for a week, and six for a month. Twenty-four building' trade labourers and 90 general labourers stated that they were out of work. Fmther resolutions were 1 passed urging the. Government, City Council, and Harbour' Board, and all local bodies, to push i.oii all available work in ordor to relievo tho f distress; and expressing regrot that reproi sentatives; in Parliament should - have consented to the prorogation of. Parliament. The question of . forming an. Independent Labour, party was loft.to the Trades Council. .THOSE REVOLUTIONARY SPEECHES.' ,(Uy I'oleitraph.—Press Association.) Chrlstchuroh, July 9. .Opinions expressed by a number'of people in town' to-day,• regarding, some of tho. state" _ments and .threats. made by' speakers at tho meeting of unemployed oh Thursday might, were in > the direction, that some-: thong should be ' done by tho proper, authorities tomako an example of those who use language that may bo fairly held to. constitute an incitement to breaches of, the peace. To ignore: or overlook some of the strong language used was hold by some to bo almost tantamount, to aiding, and abettingthose .who at. least, suggest rccourso to un-1 lawful methods.- . I DISTRESS IN NAPIER. • (By Tclcsraph.-Prcss Association.) -i. / .-,>■ Naplor, July,9. . . A'-'godd start has .been made with raising piiblic for'the. relief ' of 'persons in iNapier who are in, distress through unemployment. One legal firm has contributed £2U, and numerous smallor sums have al-. ready been received. The Mayor'will attend at the Borough Council Chambers to-morrow to relieve persona in. need.. ■■Mr. M. J. lleardon, General Secretary of tho "Wellington General Labourers'. Union,' who is on a visit _to NopieT, attended a meeting of the Napior branch of tho union to-night. ,M)f. lleardon explained to a press representative that it was contrary to the lajv for , mombors of tho union to work for less than .tho award wage. / He added that he had found that the proposal to accopt loss than the award rate emanated from nonU3iionists,Vai)d :,did - not ineet with' the approval of members of the General Labourers' ■. Onion.: ' ■ . ,■ .