MEN WHO WON’T WORK.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5080, 26 January 1927, Page 1

MEN WHO WON’T WORK.

DEVELOPMENT IN CHRISTCHURCH THE "HOBO” TYPE. While it is undoubtedly a fact that there is a good deal of genuine- unemployment in the city at the. present time it is equally true that among the men out of work are a section who are only happy when they are ab'e to indulge in work of the propaganda variety, says a Christchurch paper. Discussing the position with a reporter, a trade union secretary expressed the opinion that the waster element in the community was proving a serious handicap to the men who are genuinely unemployed and are desirous of taking any work that is offering. The “nnemployables” were forced occasionally by sheer economic necessity to undertake a little work, but it was not long before they were again haunting the precincts of the Trades Hall and the Government Labour Bureau, pitching tales of hardship to anyone who was foolish enough to listen to them, and discussing how the social revolution is to be accomplished. The solution of the problem, he considered, was the establishment df farms, where such men would be competed to work for their tucker, and their earnings could be remitted to their wives and families. Under the present conditions the wives and‘families of the men suffered hardships and hunger while those, who should be the breadwinners were cadging round thp town for food which they consumed themselves. A distinct "hobo” type was developing in the city, and was taking advantage of the unemployment problem in order to benefit bv the sympathies of the public.