THE UNEMPLOYED AT ASHBURTON.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1658, 13 June 1879, Page 4

THE UNEMPLOYED AT ASHBURTON.

The meeting convened by the Mayor was held at Baring square at 2 yesterday. About 100 parsons assembled, the Mayor presiding. A carpenter's bench was provided for the Mayor to stand on, from which post of vantage he addressed those assembled. Ha •aid the word unemployed had been wired all over the colony. Many said that the agitation on this subject had been got up by a very inferior class, but this could be disproved by maay of those present, who wore honest, hard working men, and really good colonists, *nd be thoroughly sympathised with them in their present distressed circumstances. The Ashburton Borough Council were in such a poaition as rendered it impossible for them to take any great step towards providing them with work, their funde being very low, but he would request the meeting to pass a resolution requesting the various Road Boards in the county to help as far as they could by employing as much labor as possible. He thought their best hope was in those Boards. They had heard the County Council blamed for not going on with as muca work aa they might bat they must remember it was impossible to proceed at once with the plains water scheme, though, ns soon as the necessary Bill was passed through Parliament, no doubt this extensive work would employ a great many men. The depression of the money market was the main cause of the want of employment, which, ho might say, was general all over the colony, Aa to the remarks ho had heard regarding wages, he for one did not wish them reduced, but it could not be expected when contractors took work at such a low figure as would barely keep their horses going and pay the few men they must employ that the same prices could be given for work os formerly. Ho had spoken to the brother of the contractor for the Mount Somers Railway, who had told him the contractors would shortly be able to put some bands on at railway work. The County Council could not bo expected to do as much for them as the Road Boards, for their kind of work was different. The Mayor of Sydenham had spoken regarding the drunken habits ©f working men, and ho certainly thought it was now time for the men to be temperate, and where four glasses had been taken one must now do. They must not expect to get anything like their former wages. He should be glad to hear any of the unemployed address the meeting. [Applause.] W. Jenkins said ho had been out of work three months, and would taka £1 or 25s a week for any sort of work. The Mayor asked if there were any cases of real distress that could be reported. One man said that he had rent to pay for his house, but had no money. His landlord had been very lenient. Another man said he had travelled from Invercargill, and had found 400 men idle in one place, and from 60 to 100 in another. This speaker said working men were looked on with contempt, and accused of loafing, but he believed the working men had made the fortune of every rich man in the colony. Mr Joseph Clark said it was seldom he •poke at public meetings. He had taken a swag upon his back, and had risen by his own perseverance to the position ho held, whether good or bad. He sympathised with men who wanted work. The farmers just now could do little or nothing for them, but the Road Boards could, and he thought they should pass a resolution asking the Mayor to write to the Boards to put as much work in hand aa possible that only required labor, and not material. [Applause], In accordance with Mr Clark’s suggestion, Peter Good moved—“ That the Mayor should be requested to write to the various Road Boards, asking them to put as much shovel work in hand us passible, and also to the County Council, asking that body to make an effort to put bridges in course of construction, also to recommend to the Government to proceed with the Mount So mors railway station buildings.” The resolution was carried.

A Yoica —What will all the single men do if all the provision is made for the married men ?

His Worship—Go to the North Island to fight the Maoris. [Laughter,] 'The Mayor said an offer of £lO had been made to relievo any case of real distress among married people, A vote of thanks was passed to the Mayor for attending, and to Mr Joseph Clark for his kindness in offering £lO to relieve any urgent cases of distress. The Mayor said he advise 1 them to take work at what wages they could get for the time.

The meeting then separated. A laborer present suggested that if work was got it should be divided amongst the unemployed, so that all could have a few days work every week, if they could not get constant employment. The meeting was most orderly.