IMMIGRATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 19798, 23 February 1928, Page 9

IMMIGRATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT.

10 THE EUITOK. Sir,—There is quite an easy-going and weil-meaning individual in this oily, and lie has a habit of weigh my things up lor himself carefully and going into figures and details, and lie noticed a letter in'these columns written by Mr Harrison, secretary of the Laborers’ Union, to the cited that things were bad here. Some mention was made of 3UU unemployed. There are over 1,000 unemployed here, the party under mention says, and the situation is not bad, but downright had, and yet 12U ladies and gentlemen and children arrived in Wellington, according to your Press Association wires, booked as immigrants from the Old Country. Now are not Mr Coates ami Ins discinlcs on the Treasury benches going just a tiny bit over the odds, and is it not time the immigration business was given a holiday of sumo sort? Otherwise Mr Coates and his apostles ought to bo given leave of absence after next election from the position they hold in conducting the affairs o) these islands. It is just about time a combined howl went up in protest against this unfair business. Is their object in bringing more people out to an already overstocked labor market one of bringing wages down? it teems mighty like it, anyhow, and still there is more to follow. They are as welcome as salary day if there was only room lor them. Also, good luck follow the immigrant in this country, but the business of immigration is worked to a standstill and badly requires a spell. Of course, they are nominated for a job that some of our own unemployed crowd ought to ho holding down, and it _is just bordering on a shame bringing them out here, in many cases to do a perish. Things are bad now. but wait till mid-winter; they will be deadly. There are only 3,001) out of harness in Auckland, and it makes quite interesting reading; but cheer up. it might be worse. M e want quite a large supply of tin* cheer germ these days/ and if things go on as they are going we shall have to mobilise tlui soup kitchens, as in other days in this fair city. The cheery optimist in a cosy billet will remark that such a statement is far-fetched. Very goodl Wait and see! There will bo the usual newspaper subscriptions later on. Those are good in their way, but only a little help to the situation. After all, we get what we vote for, and the workers are getting it, also a real nice lesson in economics and 12s n day to keep a family of six or seven children on, nroviding school books, food, and shelter, clothing, recreations; not forgetting 2s Cd a week for the time-payment gramophones, also “ dad’s ” and “mum’s” insurance policy that’s in arrears on account of unemployment. The ago of miracles is not past if they can manage on that dole.—l am, etc., February 23. A.P..