THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9154, 29 July 1908, Page 6

THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

BY TELEGRAPH— PEE3S ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, July 28. Two or three hundred alleged unemployed met at the Queen's Statue, and passed resolutions condemning the action of the Government in advertising in England reports calculated to give a wiong impression to intending immigrants and calling for a cessation of immigration; also, that the Government should take immediate steps to alleviate the distress through lack of employment. After a procession through the streets a deputation waited on the Prime Minister Mr D. McLaren, Secretarj of the Waterside Workers' Union, said that there were about 1,600 names on the union's 7 books, but the number of men who made anything like a living did not exceed six hundred. MStf 'were unable to get work at their ordinary calling and" flocked* to the wharf and made the state of affairs there more and more desperate. Day after day and week after week he came across cases of pitiful destitution. There were about three hundred names on the list which had been handed to Sir Joseph Ward, but he believed the number 1 of men who were earning little or nothing was double that figure. Sir Joseph Ward said the representations of the speakers would be fully considered by himself, and his colleagues. He and the Government were in full sympathy with people in distress. Regarding immigration he was not in favour of any kind that would be likuly to disorganise the labour market. If the new arrivals were not being legitimately absorbed the Government would take steps to stop immigration as far as possible. If there wss any aggravation of the unemployed problem it was due to arrivals from Australia, and not from Britain. The Government would not -help this class of unemployed at the expense of New Zealanders. Since 1904 the immigrants from Great Britain included 1,883 farmers and farm-workers, 1,6R0 navvies and domestic servants. The total number of people who might possibly be considered to influence the labour market was 1,9(57. This number included some artisans, but the men were mostly farm labourers. He submitted that high rents were responsiole for much of the suffering here. Hi was sure that the tremendous increase in the cost of building was out of proportion to the rates of wages. In Christchureh, Dunedin, Timaru and Auckland the position was not nearly so bad as it had been represent :d to be. The Government would do all in its power to assist the men to get employment.