THE UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5794, 24 October 1879, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

EIEPC'ATION TO THE GOVERNMENT. A deputation of twelve of the unemployed, levied by Councillor Maginnity, waited upon 'h* Government vesterdav morning. at the G o-eminent Buildings. The members of the Ministry present were the Hon. John Hall, premier ; the Hon. Mr. Oliver, Minister for • ’u'dic Works; the Hon. Mr. Kollesfon, '■finister of Lauds; an l , the Hon. Major Atkinson, Colon! >1 Treasurer.

Wm. Hutchison, Esq., M.H.T!., Mayor of Wellington, introduced the deputation, and si.il that they represented a large number of ’he uneraploved, who had come 1 1 st -.p- their ea=e. They did not oorae to ask for charity, but that they might be placed in a position to obtain work. Mr, Maginnitv, who had be->n chairman of the meeting on the ’previous evening, would be able to tell the Government something of the nature of the meeting, an 1 what it was thought might possibly be done by the Government to meet the case. Mr. Maginnitv said the deputation represented 400 or 500 people who were actually in want of employment. The meeting held the previous evening had be»n a verv orderly on-’, although in other parts of the oniony at which meetings had been held the people had been somewhat clamorous. The unemployed of Wellington could not therefore be accused of holding extreme views upon the subject. They considered it necessary to put a stop to free immigration, as that helped to prevent the prosperity of the colony under present circumstances. It had come to his knowledge that the Government had already intimated thai, it had been stopped, and he said so at the meeting. He had not obtained his information officially, but he presumed it was a fact. (Mr. Hall ; Yes.) The working men did not blame one Government more than another, but thev had come to the conclusion that public works weie not prosecuted here as they were in other parts of the colony. The late Minister for Public Works, in reply to a deputation, undertook to start one section of the West Coast railway, and this had given employment to several hundred people. A great necessity still existed for bringing under the notice of the Government the need of proceeding with public works, and the deputation trusted that such works would he started without unnecessary delay. Then there were the land laws, which they thought should be of such a nature as would enable people to take up land on a liberal system. The next and last matter he had to bring under the notice of the Government was whether they would assist tiie unemployed with free passages to such narts of the colony where labor was plentiful, the passage money to be repaid the Government by instalments afterwards out of the earnings of those so assisted. The unemployed would be quite willing to reimburse the Government for any such outlay. In conclusion, Mr. Maginnity said he would like to impress upon the Government the very quiet manner in which the unemployed of this city had borne their trouble.

The Premier inquired what class of work men were mostly out of employment.

Mr. Maginnitt : All classes ; carpenters, engineers, pattern-makers, <fco. The Premier : More artisans than laborers ? Mr. Maginnity : Yes. Mr. Edwih Smith said there were 100 carpenters nut of work, ami the Municipal Act coming into force with reference to brick buildings had thrown many carpenters out of cinnloyraent. Numbers were coming here from Christchurch and elsewhere, and la=t Friday no less than ten came in one boat. He heard they had been sent here. The Premier did not think they had been sent, as it they were it would have been by some public body, and he would have had cognisance of it.

Mr. Hutchison agreed with the Premier. It was a mistake to suppose they were being sent here. The Hon. Mr. Halt asked Mr. Hutchison if there was any way in which the Corporation could assist the unemployed 1 Mr. Hutchison replied that the Corporation had been assisting, and bad absorbed a good number. It was employment for artisans that was most wanted. The Corporation might now be able to employ all the rude unskilled labor.

The Hon. Mr. Hall did not see bow the Government could provide work for carpenters. Mr. Hutchison said the Corporation could not build houses. To which the Premier replied, “No more can the Government.”

The Premier then said he spoke the feelings of the Government when he acknowledge 1 the orderly and quiet manner in which the wishes of the unemployed had been expressed. They believed that the present depression was only a temporary one, arising out of over speculation during the past year or two, the scarcity of capital which had prevailed during the oast twelve months, and bad harvests in the Middle Island. They believed the depression would soon pass .away ; in fact, there was no reason to doubt that things would be in a better position shortly. The Ministry did not think it was the duty of any Government to provide against interruption to the employment of working men, as there must be times of depression in trade ; hut when there was real distress, then it became the duty of the Government to step in and afford assistance, and this the Ministry were anxious to do. They would not be able to give a positive answer to the deputation, but he had consulted the Ministers for Works and for Lands, who believed they could do something. The contracts for the first section of the West Coast railway would be let in a day or two, as soon as a legal difficulty in the matter had been overcome, and this would give moderate employment to a number of men, and enable them to tide over the present distress. With regard to immigration, the Government were satisfied that with those who were here now, and those who were on the road, it would be wise at the present time to suspend free immigration temporarily, although as a general rule it is not advisable to check the flow of immigration. _ They could not, of course, stop those on their way here. Bearing in mind the present distress in the mother country, and the consequent prospect of a spontaneous unassisted immigration, they had telegraphed to the Agent-General to stop for the present free immigration, excepting that of females, for whom there was always plenty of employment. With regard to settlement upon the lands, they believed that was the ultimate remedy for anything like scarcity of emploj’tnent in a new country, and it was to the interests of all classes that settlement should be encouraged. Speaking, however, as a practical farmer, he believed that men were worse off who go on lands without proper means to enable them to tide over the first year. It was a mistake to suppose that it was to the interest of any particular class that the land should not be occupied. It was also a mistake to suppose that it was only necessary to place people on the land, and he hoped they would not run away with that idea.

The Minister for Public Works said tenders had been received for the first section of the West Coast railway, between Wellington and Kaiwarra, and this included a large piece of reclamation. The work would have been ready for starting a few days ago had it not been that a provision of an Act of Parliament had not been complied with. However, prompt steps were being taken in the matter. Of course the deputation would recognise that there could be no guarantee that certain men would be placed on the works unless some understanding was come to with the contractor : but the Government intended to do this. The Government had been employing 300 men about half-an-hour’s walk from town, and skilled workmen were there being paid at rates very nearly approaching the wages which ruled in the labor market. Although it was not possible that Government could find employment for skilled artisans, yet the latter had always recognised that in slack times they must descend to other classes of labor. To those who wished to do so m a day or two a further section beyond, of about a mile, would be ready. Tenders had also been called for some other sections, and these would be rea y in a few davs. One of these was a six-mile section, and there was another section beyond Kaitoke which would be read_r at the latest on November 13. All these works would be aosorbing labor in a week or two and by that time there would be no reason to apprehend that much pressure would be felt. In reply to Mr. Huichisos, Mr. OLIVER said it was the intention or the Government to make arrangements with the contractors for the first section of the railway for employing these men immediately. One of the deputation brought under the notice of the Government the manner in which men were treated at the works at Wadestown. Carpeu • : ;• ,1 others, who could not work i;; ;e t - re used to it, were sent away after • • , ;me sufficient work to pay for

their shovels. Skilled mechanics ought to be allowed to remain, even if they could not work as well as regular excavators. The MiNistrp. foe Works said the foreman had received instructions to endeavor to employ all who wanted it, except of course

loafers, and the deputation would admit that amongst 400 or 500 men there must be some who could not be put up with on any terms. Mr. Hutchison said be thought some humanity should be exercised in the matter, and if a man was doing his best he should not be summarily dismissed. Mr. Oliver said strict orders would be given upon the subject. Another of the deputation spoke of people being di-miss -d because they were not favorites of the gangers. Mr. Maginnity asked if arrangements would be made for this extra work as soon as possible

The Minister for Works said the meeting of tiie previous night had been a great surprise to him, for he had no idea there were so many unemployed, but as soon as he heard of it he had at once issued instructions for arrangements to be made as speedily as possible for an abruption of all surplus labor. Another member of the deputation spoke of an arrangement existing on the railway works of giving 355. a piece for certain work, and by this arrangement men could only make about 30s. a week, and consequently could not make au existence from it.

The Ministrk for Works said he had made a note of the matter, and it would be attended to. The Minister tor Banos said he had had a deal to do with settlement, and he recognised that what people looked for on coming here was settlement upon the lands, and this was the only wav to procure a contented population. But to put people down simply on apiece of land would be mockery. They should place people along lines of railway, and give them facilities for employment. If the system of settling along lines of railway was gone into and carried out satisfactorily’, it would he a great relief to people coming out to settle here. He had a Bill at present before the House which proposed to lessen the deferred payments considerably, and he also proposed to introduce into the Bill, upon the suggestion of Mr. Hutchison and others, a provision by which associations of men might combine, and could have available the means of settlement upon the lands when desirable. There was one point which had been referred to by Mr. Maginnity, namely, with regard to facilities being afforded for people to get from one part of the colony to another. He would have the wires put in motion in order to ascertain where labor could be had, and whatever labor it might be, whether harvesting, shearing, &c., he would see that all necessary arrangements were made, and would afford facilities for people getting to the scene of labor. Mr. Maginnity then thanked the Government for the ready manner in which they had met the deputation, especially at a time when they were no doubt busy with the affairs of the country. He felt sure that the result of the interview had been entirely satisfactory to the deputation. (Hear, hear.) The deputation then withdrew. About two hundred of the unemployed, who were waiting near St. George's Hall to hear the result, were then addressed by Mr. Maginnity, that gentleman’s communication being received with much satisfaction. The proceedings terminated with three cheers for Mr. Maginnity.