THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

Shannon News, 17 January 1922, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

NO WORK’IN SHANNON. s Ai paragraph recently published by a Palmerston North paper that there was ample work offering in the Shannon district has brought Shannon into prominence in a way that is not altogether appreciated. Large numbers of unemployed have made their way to the town, and the position has become embarrassing to the Mayor at least. Mr Murdoch referred to the matter at Thursday’s meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board. “There is no .surplus work offering at Shannon, and I am at a loss to understand the action of the Department,” the Mayor stated, in pointing out the l( fallacy of the Goyerriment Labour '‘Bureau in sending unemployed .to the township with an assurance that once, there they would be provided with employment* Lately, he continued, a number of penniless men had arrived in Shannon armed with tickets from the Labour Bureau directing' them to go to the Mangahao hydro-electric works, where employment would life-furnished them. They had come from Wellington, Wanganui and other parts only to find that there were no vacancies at the works, and no, employment obtainable in Shannon. The upshot was that they had to seek charitable aid relief. Citing a case in point, Mr Murdoch said on Wednesday a* man got .off the train, and having been told toj go to Mangahao by the Department, tramped. through the rain all the way to the works, where he drew a blank. ;

He accordingly made hfs weary grimage back to Shannon., and being destitute accosted the policy, who referred him to Mr Murdoch, as local representative of the Board. The j Board, decided to request the Department to refrain from sending any more man on a wild goose chase to* Mangahao. When the question of unemployment was before the Tlouse on Friday, Mr J. A. Nash (Palmerston) . quoted a newspaper paragraph to the effect . that there was plenty of work to be ' had in the Shannon district, and that unemployment arose from the refusal of men to go out of the towns. Mr Nosworthy: I saw the statement and I believe it to be correct. Mr P. Traser (Wellington Central): It is a deliberate lie on the part of someone. ,Mr Holland asked if the Minister had said or meant to, convey that when unemployed emigrants were seeking work they must'be prepared to accept wages lower than the wages provided in the awards and agreements. ' Mi Nosworthy replied that he had not wished to convey that meaning. He had simply said that there was plenty of employment in the country, and he believed that' he was correct in making that statement.