THE LABOUR AGENCY MEETING.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1672, 30 June 1879, Page 3

THE LABOUR AGENCY MEETING.

To the Editor of the tilohe. Sib, — I quite agree with your leading article of last Saturday evening as to last Friday evening’s meeting being a failure. For my own part I am perfectly willing to take my proper share of blame as well as of praise. Let us look into the merits of the case, although I neglected to enter thoroughly into details and figures. The starting Vf a co-operative labour agency is a very different affair to what merely commencing a private business would be. There was a groat mistake made when the committee did not get some employers to meet them, and agree between ourselves as to the best prices to charge to subscribers and the public. A few rules might also have been drawn up for the management of the labour agency; and then the prices and rules could havebeen submitted to a public meeting. There is no doubt that, if the labour agency is to bo established in Christchurch, there must be a joint committee both of employers and the working classes. I feel sure that it only wants both these classes to put their shoulders to the wheel, and the labour agency would then, not only be launched, but would also, I believe, be established on a solid basis, and prove a great boon to both employers and working men, Thoro were two great hindrances to last Friday evening’s meeting; one waa that the weather was very much against us, the other was our neglect in not having details and figures properly arranged previous to the public meeting. I can easily understand that the unemployed are, naturally, more anxious at the present time to obtain work than to attempt to establish a labour agency, but I see no reason why the two objects should not go hand in hand together. Let us remember that united wo stand, divided we fall. I have heard it stated that this labour agency is only being started to benefit two or three persons. I fail to see how this can bo the case if the labour agency is properly established —and in no other way will it meet the wants of the public. The idea of a free labour agency is absurd, because, where are the funds coming from to support it? I I must confess, from my own experience, that employer* are not sufficiently careful as to the registry office they patroniie, and as to men being unnecessarily sent about the country. Let the employers and labour agents ask themselves the question—how would they like to bo sent on a fool’s errand ? With regard to labour agents, I have already suggested a remedy, namely, to compel them by law to take out licenses. The Mayors would then have the power, in case it should be required, to take away their licenses. Under the present system, men are deceived, and then laughed at. The public of Christchurch, although long-suffering, may beimposed upon too much, and the labour agents might then find, as they say in Australia, that “ it is up

a tree” with them. The sub contractors of Timaru have lately set us an example in forming a society, so the sooner we follow suit the better. It is to be regretted that the other editors have not followed your good example in writing fr’ly on the subject, I am, &0., ALBERT HASTINGS. Madras street, June 30th, 1879.