THE UNEMPLOYED.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1641, 24 May 1879, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

SECOND EDITION

A meeting was held m Cathedral square this afternoon, Mr J. Lee presiding. There was a large attendance. Mr Lee having informed the meeting as to the result of their application to the Government,

Mr Hastings addressed fho meeting at some length, urging the working men to protest against the introduction of Chinese and their employment on the railway. He then road the following resolutions, which are intended to be proposed at the meeting on Wednesday next, in the Oddfellows’ Hall.

“ That in the opinion of this meeting the attention of the Government should bo called to the present state of the labour market in Christchurch and the neighbourhood, as evidenced by the large number (between 500 and 600 men) being at present unemployed, the majority of whom have families dependent upon them, and whom they find it almost impossible to keep from starvation, and they would respectfully request that the Government would find them such employment as will in the present crisis enable them to provide for the maintenance of themselves and of those dependent upon them, and also respectfully call the attention of the Government to the fact that large public works which were authorised by the House of Assembly at the last session, have not yet been taken in hand, and would urge upon the Government, the necessity of such being immediately proceeded with, which would relievo the present depression ; and also that, in the event of their being unable to proceed with such foithwith, they would, as at a fern o period of great distress, (.rint the Christchurch and Sydenham Borough Counils. a subsidy of £ for £, which would tumble a large number of men to be at onco employed in completing the formation of the S mth town belt, a work greatly needed f r the pur poses of truffle, and (Specially for sanitary purposes. “ That this meeting is of opinion that it i» the duty of the Government to take such measures as will prevent the present large influx of Chinese, who take lower Wugi H than pre at ali adequate to t|i? sum represented by

the agents at homo as that which emigrants would he able to earn here, they being told that they would find employment during all the year at certain wages, but on arrival they find that it is not so. The Chinese being largely employed by contractors, as they work for lower wages than Europeans, as the Chinese do not spend their earnings or settle in the country, but leave and take away the money which would otherwise remain and circulate in the colony, and their working for such low wages is a principal cause of the present distress.” “ That this meeting is of opinion that the present rate of immigation is out of proportion to the present demand for labour, and that the same should be considerably reduced, so as not to overstock the labour market as at present.”

“ That his Worship the Mayor be respectfully requested to forward the foregoing resolutions to the Minister of Public Works, and that he be kind enough, to impress upon the Minister the urgency of the case.” Mr Hastings then read an article from the “ Timaru Herald,” in which the unemployed were, he contended, somewhat hardly dealt with.

A collection having been made towards the expenses, the meeting dispersed.