THE UNEMPLOYED.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2352, 30 September 1880, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

[By TioMCfiiiAiMi.] Duxkdix, Sept. 29. The Government have under consideration the question of providing work for the unemployed, and other arrangements are being made respecting the men whose labor has been accepted on behalf of the Government upon the terms offered some time since. At the present time the number so engaged in Canterbury is 375, and in Otago 915 men, or a total of 1,320. In Otago tliere arc 225 men at work on Hie Livingstone branch of railway, 075 on the Hindon section of the Otago central, and 05 on the Waikari road. It was supposed that the commencement of the ITakatcrcmea lino, would have absorbed a number of the men engaged at Windsor, but although 300 men have been engaged for the line mentioned, its commencement lias bad no practical effect in diminishing the number of men on the Windsor section. The Government have decided to pay oft 50 single men from the works in Otago, and a similar number from the works in Canterbury, and to reduce the maximum wages which a single man can earn Horn 21s to 18s per week. The Government arc now advertising that the number of men employed at their works is to be decreased, and that they have made arrangements by which employers of labor can get men from the works. As the formation works upon the Windsor section, upon which the men can bo best engaged, are nearing completion, the works on this section are to be reduced as much as possible, and as the Hindon section is somewhat isolated, and the men arc thereby prevented from looking for other work, it lias been decided to open work on the Gatlin’s River, on the Palmerston branch, at the reclamation works Port Chalmers, on the Toi Tuis branch, and on the Orepuki line in Southland, and to transfer men to them. The number of the men the works mentioned will absorb is comparatively limited, so that there will still be a considerable mi tuber left on the Hindon section. In opening the new works it is not the intention of the Government to increase the number of men engaged as “ unemployed,” but merely draft them from the works which have been carried on for some time past.