AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (Per S.s. Tarawera.) DESTITUTION IN ADELAIDE. Threatened Riot of Unemployed.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 147, 27 March 1886, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (Per S.s. Tarawera.) DESTITUTION IN ADELAIDE. Threatened Riot of Unemployed.

Tub unemployed had a stormy interview with tho Commissioner for Public Works on 9th March. One of their number named Asher said that they wanted work, and they desired higher wages than were being offered on rolief works -4s Gd per day. The Commissioner said that at present he could do nothing farther. Asher said that unless something was at once done to relieve the necessities of thp men, there would probably be a riot, all the elements needed for such a disturbance being in the crowd. The Commissioner promised to see what cpuld bo done, and after the men had re tired he sent a message to say that more names would be taken for relief works. Outside the Government buildings speeches were made in which the men threatened that if the Trades Council did not assis. them in forcing the Government to give work at remunerative wages, they should ofler their services to masters and contractors at 4s 6d per day, Some of the unemployed vvaitod on the Commissioner for Public Works on the 11th. The Commissioner told the men that he was not able to give any definite promise ; but the question of opening relief works should be considered at the next Cabinet meeting, and ho should make its decision known as soon as possible He could, however, tell them one thing. If the Government opened relief works it would have to pay relief wages It could not continue to pay 5a 6d per day, because it would, interfere with private enterprise. The rate of payment had not been decided upnn ; but ib would probably be 4s Gd per day._ _ The men grumbled badly on leceiving this information, and said that if they accepted such wages, rents must be reduced. They requested the Commissioner to give them a letter to the Chairman of the Destitute Board, asking him to provide the married men with bread and meat until relief works were established. The Commissioner said that he had no jurisdiction over the Destitute Board or over the Chairman of it. Over 100 unemployed stonemasons waited on the Government on the 1 2th to ask that all masonry work should bo hurried on Mr Rees, M.L A., in introducing tho deputation, said that one legislator in New Zealand had lately represented in the House that there was no depression in South Australia, and had advised all the un employed there to come to Adelaide, where they would find a land of plenty. (Sensation.) He emphatically protested against such representations. (Applause.) Many of the men gave heart-rendinp accounts of the _ destitution in which they and their families were existing. The Commissioner for Public Works, in reply, said that he could not advocate building tho Central Railway Station, merely to provide employment, and he was pained to have to tell thorn that nothing but relief works could be found for them at relief wages.