MEETING OF THE UNEMPLOYED.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1645, 29 May 1879, Page 3

MEETING OF THE UNEMPLOYED.

A meeting of unemployed, convened by his Worship tho Mayor, was held last evening at the Oddfellows’Hall. There was a very large attendance, the hall being quite full. Tho Mayor took tho chair, and on the platform were Mr E. C. J. Stevens, M.H.R., and several of the members of the Christchurch and Sydenham Conners. Tho Chairman said ho had called tho mooting at the request of a large number of persons calling thcmscl-.es the unemployed of this city. He had seen sufficient to tell him that tho working men of Christchurch intended to urge their claims upon tho Government in a fair and proper spirit. Be had already stated to the unemployed what the local bodies had intended to do, and ho might state that the City and Sydenham Councils had taken action in the matter, with a result which they had no doubt seen in the public Press. Mr Monaghan moved the first resolution, as follows ‘ ‘ That in the opinion of this meeting the attention of the Government should be called to the present state of the labor market in Christchurch and tho neighborhood, as evinced by the large number of between 500 and GOO 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 and support of themselves and of those dependent upon them, and also respectfully call tho attention of the Government to the fact that largo 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 great necessity of such being immediately proceeded with, which would relieve the present depression. And also, that in the event of their being unable to proceed with such forthwith, they would, as at a former period of great distress, grant the Christchurch and Sydenham Borough Councils a subsidy of Jg for o£, which would enable a large number of men to be at once employed in completing the formation of the South town belt, a work greatly needed for the purposes of traffic, and especially for sanitary purposes.” Mr Hayes seconded the motion. Mr J. Leo said that in speaking to this resolution he might say that he had heard that an amendment was to bo proposed to the resolution. It had been read to him, and ho must say that he did not think that it would have been able to be put. Tho unemployed came there that evening to solicit the aid pf their fellow-citizens, and those who were not unemployed came there with a view to listen to their opinions and cause. The meeting was held for one purpose only, viz , to see whether ways and means could be devised to give to the unemployed that employment which they were so much in need of. He trusted that no one would get up either in the hall or on the platform to split this question, because if he did he would bo put down by force. By force he meant that they would ask the gentleman to retire, and if he did not he would be handed out without violence. He desired to caution the unemployed against any man who did not belong to them, and who was only endeavouring to get a hearing on tho public platform. Such men would only bring defeat and disgrace on their causa. He desired to caution the meeting against such parties attempting to force themselves upon them. Now ho would tell them what their intentions were, and Low they intended to carry this movement through in a peaceable and orderly manner. They had met last Saturday week and petitioned the Government to give them employment. A subcommittee was appointed, who had waited on Mr March, the immigration officer, and that gentleman had telegraphed to tho Government, receiving an answtr that the unemployed not being new arrivals, tho Government of the colony could give no employment, but recommended them to apply to the local bodies. He could not say whether the Government, when sending this answer, was rightly informed on the matter, and whether there wore any newly arrived immigrants amongst the unemployed. He therefore called another meeting, and prepared a list showing tho names, occupations, and length of residence in the colony, together with the time out of employment. The list showed that at least 25 per cent, were that class who the Government laid they felt they were called' upon to ’ provide work for, viz., newly arrived immigran's. Now, what was to become of the remainder —some 400. Tho City Council had said they would give stone-breaking, and he believed some twenty had accepted this. Many more were willing to go stone-breaking, but many had been out of work for six weeks and had spent their last shi'ling, and were now existing on credit. Many of them had not 4s to buy a hammer. But this might be met by the Council purchasing a lot of hammers, and when any one applied lor this work let them give an I O U to the Council for 4s [cheers and laughter], payable out of the first draw. The Mayor said he desired to put Mr Lee right. The surveyor stated last night that no man who had applied for the loan of a hammer had been refused. 'They could put on fifty men instead of twenty if they applied for it. He thought it was only right that he should state this in justice to himself and his colleagues. [Cheers.] Mr Lee was not in possession of this information when he spoke. Now he had a list of tho unemployed so far as they had sent them in. But it was not gll. There were only seven carpenters and Joiners, whilst at the present time there were 220 carpenters and joiners out of work in Christchurch. What they proposed was to take a central room in Christchurch as a laborers’ registry office, where men could go and put their names down, and employers, if they wanted workmen, could go there and get them. [A Voice: “ What is the use of that if there are no employers for them ?”] Well, tho room was there, where employers could come and get men when they wanted. But to establish this room wanted money, and they had not got any. So that he should have to appeal to them that evening for help towards it. If this did not succeed then they must go hack to the Government and ask them fer employment. It had been 'said that there was not such a number out of employ. But let them look at two years ago, which was tho most flourishing tune the city had scon. Then there were about 000 out of employment. Was it then anything to bo surprised at now, when trade was so fearfully depressed and long lists of insolvencies appearing every week ? The Government two years ago had helped them ; why not now? The unemployed would use every legitimate means to get work; they would appeal to the public, and then if that faded, which ho did not think it would, they would not starve. [Cheers.] Those words carried a great deal of weight.; Two years ago they had a procession to the Government Buildings, but he would have nothing to do with any procession, as no man should walk in a procession until ho had come to his last resource. They should never walk in procession unless they went to get their object or lose it. Ho trusted they would never come to that, but if did he should bo Lund in his place.

A gentleman in the body of the hall Imre made same remarks which were inaudible to the reporters, Mr Lee requested the working-men to put the gentleman referred to out, but the call not being responded to, ho went on to thank them ror tpe patient heaving he bad received, and trusted that all who spoke would receive the same. The resolution was then put and _ carried almost unanimously, only one hand being held up against it. , Mr Hastings moved the second resolution, as follows i— ” T hat this meeting is of opinion that the present rate of immigration is out of proportion to the present demand for labor, and that tin same should he considerably reduced, so a’ 110*1 to overstock the lab ;r market as at present.” lie wished to mention one matter with regard to tho last meeting. The Press and “Globe” had given but little epmo to their lasi meeting, but the “Times” and “ Star ” had ' given more. Tho “ Star,” however, at the end of an qxticlo, had run t> em down very much, saying that they yvere not bona fide workin" men. Eo might say

that ho had noticed that whenever the members of Assembly came before their constituents, or any leading meu spoke, the papers reported them very fully. He was afraid that Canterbury was rather too aristocratic. As regarded stonebreaking, he might say ho did not think much of it. He had never done any of it, and did did not intend to do so until ho was ohl god. It was not a fair criterion of the working men, as it was a trade in itself. In Canada and the States they did not believe in stone-breaking, they believed in pick and shovel work and manufacturing. What they wanted hove was more manufacturing industries, and here he might say that ho had met many men in his travels who had been induced to come to the colony under false representations. A 3 regarded Sir Julius Vogel, he did not think much of him, but, perhaps, Sir Julius did not much care for his opinion. When Sir Julies Vogel’s star was in the ascendant, he (Mr Hastings) was once travelling with a leading man in Canterbury, who described Sir Julius Vogel better than he had ever heard him. He said, “Sir Julius Vogel is too much of a Guy Fawkes for me.” Now, what he believed was wanted here was agricultural laborers, and even this was overstocked. When they went to Mr March, he, like the labor agents, t ought he knew everything and they knew nothing. Ho said, “Oh, send me fifty single ploughmen, and I will get them work.” Ho believed that not twenty would have got work if they had gone. Ho believed that they were being put off, that the Government were resting on their oars, and that the real fact was that their dealing with the working class resembled the law’s delay. A gentleman with far more experience than himself (Mr Hastings) had said that emigration was merely a traffic in human beings. That was Mr Cameron, chairman of committees of the New South Wales Parliament. He had been told that two years ago the working men had gone to Mr March and demanded work, and it might come to that again yet. Ho had never himself believed in assisted or free emigration. [A Voice: “Keep to the point.”] He believed that if it could be carried out, it would ho bettor if all could pay their passages to these countries. If this had been more carried out in these colonics they would not see the distress and destitution which now existed, not alone hero but all over the colonies. [Hear, hoar.] They must make some allowance for him, as it was difficult to arrange his ideas before so large a public meeting. As to free emigration, he thought it was wrong, because it made people dependent on the Government from the start. What could be expected but that they should look to tho Government for work and for assistance if this work was not forthcoming in times like this. On waiting on Mr Harman about drainage works he was told about going to the country. Well, what were they to do going to the country? Mr D. Jones, a farmer, who had been in the colonies for many years, had told him that things were worse in the country than in the town, and that ho had counted 101 swaggers from Chertsey to Riccarton looking for work. He also told him that it was pitiful to see so many men camping under a gorse fen n e, there being no straw for them. The Canterbury Plains were not like other places, there was no bush. He said that it was shameful to introduce immigrants whilst the country was in the state it was. It had been suggested that ho should go Home and refute the statements made in the United Kingdom, but he could not afford to do so. If ho could go Home he would take care to refute the false statements made by the agents. Even if he did so, however, he would have but little chance against Sir Julius Vogel, who took care at home to write whenever anything was said against the colony. He wondered that, there being no love lost between Sir George Grey and rir Julius Vogel, the former had not recalled him and sent him to the right about a long time ago. [A voice—“ No politics.”] Ho did not intend to speak about politics, but Sir Julius Vogel was the Agent-General, and he was responsible for tho conduct of emigration. He thanked them for the patient hearing they had given him, and begged to propose the resolution. Mr Monaghan seconded the motion, which was carried with one dissentient.

Mr Hastings moved the next resolution, as follows; —“That his Worship the Mayor be respectfully requested to forward the foregoing resolution to tho Minister of Public Works, and that he be kind enough to impress the Minister tho urgency of the case.” Mr Lee seconded the resolution, and said the motions had uow come to an end. There were gentlemen on the platform who were able to speak to the questions before them, but who had not thought proper to do so. Perhaps they thought it was not “ competent ” to their dignity to speak on such matte s. He was very sorry that some of those gentlemen did not come forward and give them a little consolation and advice—he might say, fatherly advice. There was no other class to carry this movement through except a lot of poor unemployed men without any means. He would now, the cfore, appeal to their pockets, to see whether they would give assistance, or contribute any little means to a lay the distress which existed among them. Among the unemployed were men who had five and six in family, and who had been out of work five or six months. Now was the time for those gentlemen who desired to do so, and had so often spoken about it, to come forward and prove themselves the working men’s friend. If they did not do this, how could they themselves expect a favor, when it came to their turn to ask for a vote. [Confusion ] He might tell them ho had a good deal to do as an electioneering agent. [Some person in the hall here created a disturbance amid cries of “Put him out.” The offender was brought forward to the front of the platLrm, when Mr Lee sprang down upon him, and he was violently expelled from the hall. Tho man was evidently tho worse for liquor.] Mr Lee continued—Necessity had compelled him to speak in the way he did. It behoved them when the time came and they were asked for a vote. [“ Oh, you have already told us that.”] The Chairman must ask Mr Lee to confine himself to the question before the meeting. Mr Lee said if tho Government did not answer to the call the unemployed would, if they could not obtain employment, find him for one at his post, for he had now come to that age when he would not see his children starve. He would either have employment or he would have the loaf.

There were loud cries for Mr Gapes, and that gentleman came forward- He could not go beyond the resolution, and he quite agreed that those motions passed that evening should be forwarded to the proper quarters. With regard to the question generally, those who had a'ready spoken knew more about it than he did. Ho was quite sure the Mayor and his colleagues would afford them every assistance in their power. [Applause.] Mr W. Wilson being called upon, said he addressed the meeting with a feeling of sympathy, and he hoped the Government would lend the necessary assistance that was asked for. The City Council and the Sydenham Borough Council had done what they could in the matter, and had lost no time in forwarding the resolutions to the Governmeat. He had not the least doubt the Government would contribute 4)1 for ill, and he hoped in a few days they would be able to give employment to every unemployed man in the province. It was quite true that there was a depression in Canterbury at the present time, in which all classes must participate, but no doubt in a very short time there would ho a ’return of the prosperity of the province, if they only had patience for a period of two or three months. As one of the oldest settlers in the province he might say he had never known the period when for any length of time any man who was willing to work was not able to get it. And so if they waited for a short time they would live to thank God that they had come to this province. [Signs of disapprobation.] He might say ho know what it was to bo in want of money, and he would inf :>rra them tha t on one occasion he had been unable to pay the small sum of 3s 4d for a washing;, bill. [Laughter] They knew, however, 1 that bo bad, since that time, been moderately successful, and so most likely would many of them bo. Before long they might Ijnd themselves in p ssession of hundreds or thousands of acres of laud. No man would suffer for loug. Ho had been told that even now there were sums of 4)3.0,000, 4)100,000, and other sums coming out to Canterbury for investment, so that times must soon improve. [Applause.] '] ho Mayor of Sydenham, being called tipon by Mr Leo, came forward and aldresscd the meeting. He said it would not become him to trespass upon their time, after the kind advice they had received from Councillor Wils m. There was a very good verse they found in the Good Book—“ ;u iue day of adversPy consider;’ 1 and it would be a very good tiling if tficy would carefully consider their situation. Notwithstanding, whit l\acl been said about tho Press, he thought the Press had d ull very fairly with them. | A voices Tho Press, not tie “ limes.”] Acs, ho thought tho “ dimes” had given them some very good articles on the subject. And one or two other things he might say to them. They had boon extravagant in eating—and perhaps some of them would say in drinking too. [Hear, hear.] Alsoexlr ivagantindress ana in household matters With regard to drink, iu Great Britain, in 187C>, it yms shown that tho average amount pur head spent in drink was 4)1 ns, while in New Zealand tho latest returns showed it was 4)G. Why, in I hristchurch and the suburbs alone, they were spending per year from 4)80,000 to 4)100,000 per year, and of that the working-men were spending from 4)2000 to 4)3000 per month. [ ,f Oh, dry up—eit down,”

and signs of disapprobation.] Ho said they had tic remedy in their own hands. [Confusion.] lie hop d' they would not doom him an enemy bccuiso lie hud told them the truth. If they would give up their drinking'for a few weeks, they would find plenty of money to give them employment. [Applause and hisses, amid which Mr Booth retired.] The motion was then put and carried unanimously. The Chairman said he should have much pleasure in fonva ding the resolutions to the Government, and stating at the same time that this was one of tire largest and most orderly meetings ever held in Christchurch. He might state tint ho had that day received a letter from Mr Moore, of Glenmark, who stated that he wanted six acres of land trenched two feet deep; that he was willing to pay .£2O per acre ; and that the work would give employment to twelve men. His Worship said ho should bo glad to give any additional particulars to those who might call upon him in the morning. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.