THE MINISTRY AND THE UNEMPLOYED.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1772, 24 October 1879, Page 3

THE MINISTRY AND THE UNEMPLOYED.

[By Telegraph.] WELLINGTON, October 23. A deputation of unemployed waited on the Government to-day asking that free immigration might be restricted to female servants, that publio works should be commenced for the purpose of affording employment, that the land laws should be placed on a more liberal basis, so as to allow of land being taken up on deferred payments, that free passages be provided to parts of the colony where work is more abundant. All the Ministers were present. The Premier said tho present depression was only temporary in consequence of over speculation in the past year and the scarcity of money, together with a bad harvest in the South Island. No doubt in a short time things would be much better. He further stated that tenders were being called for more works on the West Coast railway. They would endeavor to make it a condition with the contractor to employes many unemployed as possible. Mr Rolleston said he would put the wires in motion throughout tho colony to ascertain where work was most plentiful, and afford facilities to enable the unemployed to reach the places where work was. He said the Government were bringing down a Bill to provide for tho settlement of people on land on as favorable a basis as possible, recognising that as the only permanent means of obviating such a condition of things as now existed, though it might not afford immediate relief for pressing necessities.