THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1892. THE UNEMPLOYED.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2363, 31 May 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1892. THE UNEMPLOYED.

It is remarkable that the cry of the unemployed is completely hushed in this colony. It is also remarkable that it was never heard after the Stout-Yogel Government had put their arrangements into full working order. It is a curious fact that when the Tories are in pow'er there is always distress amongst the w'orking men, and unemployed meetings are of daily occurrence. The unemployed meetings commenced shortly after the Grey Government was turned out of office, but no effort was made for a long time to render assistance. Soup kitchens were established in Christchurch and elsewhere, but these w'ere supported by private charity. In those days Sir Harry Atkinson held the theory that the cure w’as to settle the people on the land, but he frequently declared that if the unemployed got the land for nothing they w'ould not go on it. The lion. Mr hallance came into pow'er shortly afterwards, and showed how untrue this theory was. by practically clearing the streets of the unemployed, and placing them on the laud in the North Island. In 18S7, when discussing these matters at the general election, one of. his constituents asked Sir Harry Atkinson how' would he settle the unemployed difficulty, and he said he would give them work at 2s Gd per day. This is according to a report in the Patea Mail of that time. But the Atkinson Government of 1882-3-1 was merciful and humane and kind compared with the Atkinson Government of 1888-9-90 The last Atkinsonian Government outHeroded Herod. It was the most reactionary, the most conservative, and the worst we have ever had in this colony. It took very little notice of the unemployed, and did less than any other Government for them. As Cromwell used to send the Irish to II or Connaught, so the Atkinson Government used to send the unemployed to Healey or let them starve. Even at the Healey only able-bodied men could get work. All others were told they must depend on Charitable Aid. Now let us turn from this dark apd cruel picture to the brighter one presented by tlje. IpberaJ side qf the House. As already slated, Mr Hallance practically settled (he unemployed of his own day by settling them oi) the land. Was not that better than to have to support them ■' 4 ‘ Charitable Aid and let them ollt y- ""mi the taxpayers? remain a burden ~r ...* a j s() 'i'he Stout-Vogel Government established inquiry offices throughout the colony to supply information to unemployed and employers, and by that means did a lot of good Hut they worked not half so vigorously in the interests of labor as the present Government. His enemies represent the Hon. AT, P. Peeves as the aristocrat of the pi'esent Government, but labor has no better friend than he is. He has established bureaux of industry throughout the colony, over which be presides as Minister of Labor, and by this means he is settling the question of the unemployed quietly and without expense to the country. These bureaux collect information ; they ascertain where the unemployed arc and where the work is to he found, and in that way act as agents between employed and employer. Hitherto this business was carried on by private individuals, who often skinned the unfortunate workman of his last shilling to get a billet for him. This is now done by Government officers in a much more systematic and better way, and the result is extremely satisfactory.

The lion. .John McKenzie continues to do his best in the way of land settlement, but with Ins actions we have recently dealt. The man of all others, however, who has gone to work in the most systematic and best way is the Hon. Hichard d. Seddon, Minister of Public W orks. Mr Seddon commenced his career by treating the unemployed in a very cavalier way. In Christchurch he gave them a lecture which startled some of them, and which earned for him for the time being a good deal of odium. Jhit Mr Seddon has a kind and sympathetic heart, and, though his language was gruff, Ids intentions were good.

Hitherto the custom had been to let Government work by contract to the lowest tenderer. The contractor, who, of course, wanted to make money out of it, employed the best men he could

find at the lowest possible rate of| wages. In this way contractors I have made lordly fortunes in this» colony, but Mr Seddon has to a certain extent changed this system of carrying on public works, lie saw immense sums spent on giving a miserable pittance to the unemployed for doing practically useless work. AV e need not go farther than our own doors to see this, if we only recollect how money was spent to clear the drain in the Temuka park and sweep the streets of 'NVaimate. Mr Seddon saw that this was a wasteful and useless expenditure, and he saw contractors making fortunes out of Government work. Putting these facts together he decided on letting the work to the men themselves instead of to contractors, and thus instituted his co-operative labor system. He got the engineers to make an estimate of the cost of doing so much work ; he divided the unemployed into gangs, and to each gang gave its allotted share, paying them in accordance with the estimate put on the work by the engineers. Two results were thus produced at once: the money wasted on giving useless work to the unemployed was saved to the colony, and the profits which contractors put into own pockets were put into the pockets of the men who did the work. There can be no doubt but in addition to this Charitable Aid has been relieved of some of its burden by the humane and wise actions of the present Government. The unemployed are earning good wages on Government works now, but the best feature of this is that no one is refused employment. A gang of good men can join together and make good money ; a gang less expert can make less. Thus it is that the present Government have hushed the cry of the unemployed—practically by travelling in the footsteps of the previous Liberal Government—and yet working men are frequently heard saying that it does not matter to them who is in power ; that all the Governments are the same to them. Our only answer to that is ; Where are the unemployed ? What became of them? Sir Harry Atkinson used to give them useless work at 2s Gel a day ; the Hallance Ministry gives them 7s and 8s a day for building railways, &c. Is not that any good to the working men ? Two things we should like to know': Is the work done as cheaply and as well under the co-operative system as if let by contract ? If this can be answered in the affirmative, then the position of the Government is unassailable. Then, again : How much less money has been spent on the unemployed now' than formerly ? and has charitable aid been relieved of any of its burdens? We venture to say all these questions can be answered to the advantage of the Government, and if so not only the working men, but the taxpayers also, have gained by the change of Government.