CENTRAL LABOR AGENCY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1671, 28 June 1879, Page 2

CENTRAL LABOR AGENCY.

A public meeting was held last evening in the Oddfellows’ Hall, to consider the advisableness of establishing a central labor agency in Christchurch. There was but a poor attendance. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair.

His Worship the Mayor said that he understood the meeting was called to consider the advisableness of establishing a central labor office, where the employer and the employed could meet on better terms than at present. It was considered that it would be better if the labor agency projected was managed by the working men themselves. He (the Mayor) considered that there was room for such an office, and that it would be of use if it were managed properly, and by persons in whom they had confidence. Ho had only taken the chair on the understanding that the object was what he had stated, and not for any political purpose, or for the purpose of fomenting dissension between the employers and employed. He might say that Mr Kent had informed him that a balance-sheet showing the amounts received and expended on account of the money subscribed for the needy unemployed would be laid on the tabic. Mr Kent said the whole amount was £116 odd, and it was intended when Mr Black had prepared a balance-sheet, that it should ba published, as decided by resolution, either in all four papers or only one. He might say that there was a balance of some £4O.

Mr Hastings then came forward to propose the first resolution, as follows : “That all persons subscribing 4s per year have free access to the society for places, and employers bo requested to pay 7s 6d per year to have free access to the society for servants.” “ Non-members, on applying for situations, pay 1s; employers (non-members) requiring hands or servants pay 1s 6d.” “The secretary of such society to be appointed by the subscribers.” He thought they would all agree there was room for such an office if the public would support it, because the scheme required the co-operation of both employers and the working-classes. The agency, to prove a success, must be started on a solid basis, and they wanted a good man to take charge of it, but if the want of such a man were known they would soon have plenty of applications for it. He was sorry to see such a small attendance, but he hoped the weather was the cause, and not the indifference of the public. He was in favor of this agency being started in conjunction with the working men’s club, and he did not know that they could do any better than this. He was afraid that under the present system of labor agencies the men were sent on a wild goose chase- through the country, and thus caused to spend hardearned money. There was just this to be considered whether they should not defer the final consideration of this matter until they had a fuller meeting. He thought it would be a very good thing if the Government came forward and established labor agencies, as half a loaf was better than no bread. They really could not come to the public in a worse time than now, when everyting was in such a depressed state, and therefore he considered the response by the citizens of Christchurch to the appeal made to them was a liberal one. He was glad to see that the Bishop and the clergy were taking steps to found a Benevolent Society. Mr Monaghan seconded the motion. Mr Young advocated that a working man’s union should be formed, and that they should pay say sixpence a week each for six months, until next winter came round, when it would bo of use to relieve necessity. He did not see why a public meeting should be called to consider whether a man should start a labour agency or not. A gentleman in the body of the hall said they did not require labour offices but labour,

[Hear, hear."] There were plenty of labour offices in Christchurch now, but what was required was work. Mr Kent said that it was to be regretted that Mr Hastings had not told them more about the details of the proposed labour agency. So far as he saw they would not be able to carry out this project unless a tradesman in the city, who had obtained the confidence of the employer and the employed, worked the agency as an adjunct to his business. So far as sanding men on fools’ errands, he might tell them that, in many cages where the employers sent down for men to the agencies, they did not give the agency time to send the men as asked. As regarded the establishment of a working men’s club, there was one difficulty in the way here which prevented it being established. There was alarge number of men—ho was glad to say—here who were total abstainers, and they would be only too ready to help on the movement for a working men’s club, if intoxicating liquors were not sold there. But, of course, they would not participate in a movement which contemplated the sale of intoxicating drinks in the working men’s club. This, he believed, was tbe reason why a working men’s club had not been formed here.

Mr Youcg said that he had been in many working men’s clubs, and had never seen intoxicating drinks in them. No working man’s club was ever contemplated as having intoxicating drinks in them. He begged to move, as an amendment, the resolution nowbefore the meeting : —“That the labor agency should not be started except in connection with the working men’s union.” Mr Hastings deprecated the course taken by Mr Young, which would result in the whole scheme coming to grief. They would have no working men’s club, no union, and no labor agency. With regard to Mr Kent’s remark as to his not having given any details, he had not done so because he expected that, as usual, a sub-committee would be appointed representative of both employer and employed to go into this matter and bring up a report. The amendment was seconded, and his Worship, the Mayor then put it to the meeting, when it was declared to be carried by 30 to 21. Mr Lee said that they had a balance in hand of subscriptions from the citizens, and he would move—“ That the balance of the subscriptions be handed over to the City Council, for the purpose of expening it in the form of wages to the unemployed in their employ.” The object of the subscriptions being asked for was to establish a free office in Gloucester street and to relieve cases of urgent distress. Now there was a balance of £4O, the appropriation of which they had to decide, and he thought the method proposed by him would be found the best, A gentleman in the body of the hall strongly objected to the money which had been subscribed by the generous public of Christchurch for the relief of the unemployed being given to those in work, when there were plenty of men out of work.

Mr Kent should second the motion pro forma, but would oppose it. He believed that there were many cases of distress now existent which had not come before them. He thought the best way would be to hand it to the Benevolent Society, which he saw was about to fee established. He thought that the subscribers should give an idea of how the money should be disposed of. His Worship the Mayor said that he was truly glad to hear that there was a difficulty in finding proper recipients for this money. If this was so it was a good sign of the times that they should find that they had a difficulty in getting rid of £4O to really deserving cases. But he would desire to point out that the committee appointed at first had power to deal with this matter. He knew that there were a great many cases of real distress which could be relieved. As regarded the labor agency, he might say that a very excellent suggestion had been made by one of the evening papers, that a book should be opened at the City Council office, in which employers and employed might enter their names. This would obviate any expense at all, and he might say that the Town Clerk had expressed his willingness to have such a book there. He had not consulted the other members of the Council, but he had no doubt they also would agree to it being done. Mr W. A. Neck desired to say a few words. He was pleased to see that, notwithstanding the great depression that existed there was a love of order which spoke well for the colony. He might here say that it was not the loudest speakers who suffered the most. He desired to advise them to exercise patience and be hopeful, and to apply themselves to anything they could get. The time would come when the present depression would pass away, and they would find that they would all get work.

At this stage of Mr Neck’s speech there was considerable uproar, and his further remarks were inaudible.

The resolution was then put and negatived, only one hand being held up for it. Mr Kent moved a vote of thanks to the committee of the Oddfellows’ for their kindness in granting the use of the hall. He desired just to correct the Mayor’s idea that there were no cases of distress to which the money could be applied. There were plenty of cases of deserving people. Mr Hastings seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried. A vote of thanks to the Mayor concluded the meeting.