THE UNEMPLOYED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 138, 10 July 1909, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

RED-FLAG ORATORS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christehurch, Last Night. Opinions expressed by a number of people in town to-day regarding sumo of the statements and threats made by several speakers at a meeting of unemployed on Thursday night, were in the direction that something should be done by the proper authorities to make an example of those who used language that may fairly be held to constitute incitement to breaches of the peace. To ignore or overlook some of the utrong language used was held by some to 1-c almost tantamount to aiding and abetting those who at least suggest recourse to unlawful methods.

WELLINGTON RELIEF AIEA iI'RES. ! Wellington, Last Night. I Work on the Victoria College ground, | which is to be prepared for buildings, will commence next Tuesday, funds being provided from the Citizen's Unemployed Fund, subsidised .tl for £1 by the Government. The Citizen's Fund vow considerably exceeds £4OO, with promises of further subserintions. About 300 men have applied for work. The rate of pay will be 8s per day. The men are to be employed by the week. Preference will be given to bona fide residents of Wellington, while those having dependents will receive first consideration. Collection boxes will be placed in hotels, and the churches will be asked to take up special offerings towards tlie relief fund. Several entertainments in aid of the fund are likely to be held. The committee has decided that no men who have refused work offered by the Labor Department shall be assisted out of the relief fund.

Among subscriptions received to-day was a. cheque for £SO from J. Staples and Co.

MEETING IN DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Last Night. A meeting of unemployed members of combined building trades unions was held this afternoon in the Trades Hall. About 250 were present, a large number being comparatively young men. Some of those present, it was afterwards ascertained), were general laborers, and not connected with the building trades. The first speaker ('Mr. W. Warren) after expressing the opinion it <was a disgrace that such a fruitful country as' this should -be plunged into the unemployed problem, 'proposed a very long motion, the substance of which was that there should be an intelligent system of industry employment by means of production and distribution of the j wealth for consumption and not for monetary .profit, and that the Government take immediate action to bring about, upon scientific lines, the organisation of industries, with the object of ultimately bringing into Operation a socialised system of production for universal benefit and not for individual profit. The motion was carried unanimously.

The chairman asked the number of carpenters present to put up their hands, and about lifty responded. Forty-two held up their hands as having been out of work for a week, ten for two or three weeks, and eight for a month. Twenty-eight painters signified that they had been out of work for a week, ami six for a month. Twentyfour building trade laborers and ninety general laborers stated they were out of work.

Further resolutions were passed urging the Government, the City' Council and Harbor Board, and all local bodies to push on all available work in order to relieve distress, and expressing regret that representatives of Parliament should have consented to tlie prorogation of Parliament. The question "of forming an independent labor party was left to the Trades Council.

AN ACUTE POSITION. Auckland, Last Night. The president of the Auckland Trades and Labor Council (Mr. T. Long) states that the unemployed .position in Auckland is a very acute one. Five hundred '.s a very low estimate of the number of men out of work, and as the result of the continued wet weather at present being experienced there is a great deal of distrefs. A committee has been set op for the pnrpos- of arranging a public meeting which all the Auckland member* of Parliament will he invited to attend.