ARRIVAL OF UNEMPLOYED.

Kumara Times, Issue 2932, 23 March 1886, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF UNEMPLOYED.

[Grey River Argus, March 20.].

The first batch of the unemployed from Canterbury, arrived per Pelhani on Thursday. The majority are laborers who can evidently do an honest day's work for an honest day's wage, but there are amongst them s:>rne of the old crowd who are always lookin« for work, bat "wants no work One of the latter class walfz-d into outplace on arrival, and claimed old acquaintanceship and a job. The latter was at once offered him, and he promised to turn up at 6 p.m. to commence v. oik, but at that hour he wns not to be found. On making inquiries we learned h<- had got gloriously drunk and had heen inn in by the police. Another of the arriva'*, on lxin« reco«uised as »a yla Weal Ulster, wag

asked if he intended to go to work at 5s a day. He replied—"No fear, I never worked for that price on the Coast and never will. I came down to see my brother who is well in down South. I never refuse a cheap trip at Government expense." We have heaid some other very racy instances of the conduct of some of the arrivals. The s.s. Koranui, which is due here this morning, will bring another large batch. Whoever is responsible for bringing these men to the Coast has a great deal to answer for, while plenty of local men are unemployed and willing to work. [West Coast Times, March 22.] The tug boat Dispatch arrived on Saturday with eighty-five men of the Christchurch unemployed who were sent ronnd by the Minister for Public Works to work at the Arahura section of the Hokitika-Grey Railway. Some of these reached Greymouth by the Pelham, and the remainder came in the Koranui; the Dispatch, with the first arrivals on board, meeting that vessel in the river, took them on board there. They are, on the whole, a fine looking lot of men, well able to work, though a few "bard cases" are to be mot with. They marched out to the Arahura immediately on arrival, and are now encamped at Flowery Creek. They have been formed into parties ranging from three to six men in each, and will be employed on piece work. We understand that any persons in the district who wish to come under the same rules can do so on application to Uio inspector, Mr Lock. The, average rate of wages a good man can earn is six shillings a day, some of the smartest can range up to eight or nine ."hillings, whilst many of them will probably not make more than three shillings. The inspector arranges for providing the men with necessaries. Mr Shain, engineer, has been busily engaged tak ing levels to enable work being proceeded with at once. They start this morning.