THE PROPOSED LABOUR AGENCY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1667, 24 June 1879, Page 2

THE PROPOSED LABOUR AGENCY.

To the Editor of the Globe. Sib, —The first part of your leader in last Saturday’s issue is correct so fir that t' • committee intend to call a public meeting of the inhabitants, but not, as is stated by you, for the establishing of a central free registry office, as the committee have, after due consideration, come to the conclusion that it would not succeed, although, according to the heading of the collection sheets, such was their intention. And hero I may brie tty say that the committee, in calling a public meeting, have a two fold object in view. One was the placing of a balance-sheet before the public of the amount that had been collected, and how it had been expended, and the other was the laying before the public a few items of how they could establish a labor agency, not by public subscriptions, as you suggest in. your leader, but by yearly contribution. Any person requiring employment might, for instance, contribute 4s per year, and employers 7s 6i ; each to have free accees to the agency for one year ; such agency to be under the control of its own subscribers, as in any other institution that is formed for the mutual benefit of all parlies concerned. So, sir, if you can throw any further light on the subject, or can show us at once fhe utter impracticability of a self-supporting institution of the kind, we shall bo thankful for tho information. As to the expense that must necessarily be entailed by convening a public meeting, that the committee has not lost sight of, and they are in hopes to bo enabled to inform your readers that the meeting will not cost more than lighting the hall and one or two small advertisements, and would not amount to (0 much as the advertising of tho balance-sheet in the foxit papery

- w ith all the subscribers’ names attached to it. ' We will leave the City Council to answer for themselves whether they would like their time taxed with a labor agency. In conclusion, we bog to state that it never was the intention of the committee to make any further appeal to the public, and if the agency could not bo made self-supporting, it would most surely fall to the ground. Yours, &c., WILLIAM KENT, On behalf of the Unemployed Committee.

To the Editor of the Globe. Sib, — I read with interest your leading article in last Saturday evening’s Giobb. I have a little experience in the labour agency business in Canterbury. lam afraid that you don’t properly appreciate the necessity of a good labour office in Christchurch—not only for the use of the unemployed at the present time, but also to supply a long-felt want in Christchurch. This labour office, if properly carried on, ought to command the confidence both of employers and the working classes; to do this, however, the office must be established on a solid basis. In the first place employers must be satisfied that the manager will do his best to select them suitable servants ab a fair rate of wages. The manager must be very careful that he does not send men to situations where they are not required, as this would very much damage the reputation of the office. I would suggest that the labour ogency should be started by subscriptions from employers and working men, a committee to be appointed by them to manage affairs and to draw up rules for the proper conducting of the labour agency. The committee would probably meet weekly to transact business, and they could then hear any complaints that might be made about the labour office. In Melbourne the Government carry on a labour sgency, partly for the convenience of employers and partly to protect the working classes. Prom what little inquiry I made during the time I was in Melbourne, I am afraid there is a little too much red-tapeism about the management of this labour office, no that it is not as useful an institution as it ought to be. I am very sorry that we have no Working Men's Club in Christchurch, as I believe that a labour agency, properly carried on under the management of the club, would be both a boon to employers and a protection to the working classes. Let us never forget the hte Mr Charles Dickens’s great idea of justice between man and man. I had the pleasure a fortnight ago of having a long interview with the President of the Wellington Working Men’s Club. The president was very much interested in the idea of establishing a labour office, and thought the idea was particularly applicable to Canterbury. Apologising for trespassing so much on your valuable space, I am, &c., * FAIR PLAY. Madras street, June 23rd,