THE UNEMPLOYED.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2569, 15 June 1881, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

Mr Orient met the unemployed this morning in the Fire Brigade Station. He wai introduced by the Mayor, who stated that Mr Calhu’.t had come here from Dunedin under instillations from the Government. Mr Calcutt said the Government had the matter under cousideratioa. He was sorry and surprised to see so many men out of work in such a prosperous district as Tirnaru. He would proceed by the first train to Christchurch, and would urtje upon Gov-rnment to proceed with the construction of the Aibur> line, and would impress on Government

the advisability of letting it out in small contracts. He would never advise the Government to adopt the course pro viously pursued, whereby great expense was involved for the amount of work performed. He did not mean that the men received the benefit. It was the contingent expenditure which absorbed a considerable portion of the money. Probably in ten days work would be found for those realty desirous of employment. Meantime, he understood the Borough Council would give employment at stonebreaking to those really in distress. In the course of a fortnight a considerable number of men would be engaged in laying pipes for the water supply of Timaru. Mr Boardman said that in regard to stonebreaking, an outlay of £1 for tools was required before a man could commence work. That was beyond the means of areally destitute man. Mr Cakutt was of opinion that there was not a tithe of the distress which had been represented, and he felt that moat of the men present could obtain employment if they worked for a low wage. He knew men in the Oamaru district who had refused iCs per week and found. The refusal was conveyed civilly enough. The men must under stand that the Govornmett had other places to consider as well as Timaru. One of the unemployed stated that he had never refused any kind of work, and he could turn his hand to anything. He had a wife and four children, and after harvest he had been offered £1 a week for the winter months, hut he could not house his family on the hill side. In reply to Mr Galoott, the man said he had been nineteen years in the colony. Mr Culcult said if he had exercised ordinary care lie should have had a house of his own. The Mayor desired to state that lie had no doubt they would be able to find stonebreaking tools for those really in distress. As for the price—2s fid a yard—he found that the Levels Hoad Board had received tenders at that figure.

Mr March state ! that he had heard nothing farther about the prospect of employment in the Waikato. lie supposed tiiat the contractor had obtained all the men he required. Mr Calcntt intimated that he would proceed by the first train to Christchurch, and would telegraph the result of his efforts.

This concluded the meeting.