NEW ZEALAND'S UNEMPLOYED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3103, 28 January 1909, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND'S UNEMPLOYED.

THE IMMIGRATION QUESTION-

LABOUR DEPARTMENT WATCHING THE POSITION.

'lnere ic no denying the fact that in Wellington are large numbers of workmen, skilled and unskilled, out of employment at the present time. A representative of "The .Post" made an extensive round- of enquiries vesterday morning amongst union secretaries, labouring men, departmental officials, and others, and he is convinced that in many instances the lack of employment is being severely felt. The unions do not blim-> the Government altogether for bringing immigrants into the country. One officer stated that the shipping companies had organised lectures at Home for the purpose of inducing people to go out to the colonies. Another point made is this: the actual number of immigrants that arrive bv a Home vessel is augmented to the extent of thirty or forty "passage worke-s," who are paid off when the ship reaches NewZealand. The secretary of the Cooks? and Waiters' Union states that there are fully 50 hands out of work in Wellington. The secretary of the Painters' Union said that he had 60 unemployed first-class tradesmen on his books. The secretary of. the Wharf' Labourers' Union calculates that from 300 to 400 waterside workers are makine a living atl the present time. The secretary of the General Laborers' Union statea that 20 or 30 men are to be dismissed by the Miramar Borough Council this week, and he also hears that a big batch of labourers working; for the City Council on various jobs is to be dispensed with. THE DEPARTMENT'S CASE. In what can be regarded as a reliable quarter the "Post" reporter wast informed that from 50 to 140 mem are calling at the Labour Office each day looking for work. The same authority remarked: "There have been more applications for work at the Government Labour Office during January than has been the case in the middle of winter for the past eight years. What will happen whetr winter comes?" This allegation is den : ed by Mr Collins, chief clerk of the Labour Bureau. He said the Government was prepared to find employment on the Blenheim railway works for married men with families. He hoped to receive authorities, he said, for sending additional men to the works at laranaki in a few days. At the present time over 9,000 men are employed by the Public Works Department on constructional undertakings. "Are you in a position to deny that there is an unusually large number of labourers and tradesmen out of work?" the reporter asked. Mr Collins said he would not deny that there was a good deal of unemployment, but so far the Department had been able to offer work tu men used to the pick and shovel. "And,'' he added, "the Department is prepared to do so to-day. Married men with families are, of course, given a preference." In connection with the painters who are out of work, Mr Collins stated that the matter had been brought under the notice of the ' Minister of Labour (the Hon. A. W. Hogg), and if any of the Government buildings required to be painted, possibly work would be found for some of the men. The Department was doing its best to find work, and was watching the position very closely. | Mr Collins stated that there is no truth whatever in the alleeation that the immigrants are lured to' New Zealand by Government agents. The only books they receive are a handbook on New Zealand and a copy of the Labour Journal. The handbook consists chiefly of extracts from the year book. The Labour Journal contains the union secretaries' own reports of the state of the labour market, as well as those of the departmental officials. If the intending immigrant takes the trouble to read, he should be able to form some sort of a conclusion about what is likely to happen he comes to New Zealand..

ON THE WHARF. A considerable number of men are idle on the wharf, and this is the middle of summer. Mr D. M'Laren, M.P., and secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, statesthat the present period of unemployment is of longer duration than he has experienced in Wellington over the last ten years. He holds that assisted immigration is absolutely on a wrong basis. Mr M'Laren visited the lonic on Tuesday and other Home boats bringing immigrants to New Zealand, and he is convinced that the majority of the new arrivals are not farm labourers. They come chiefly, he says, from the Midland towns and cities of England, and he is doubtful whether any adequate proof is required by the High Commissioner's office that persons applying for assisted passages are farm labourers or not. Men had come to his office, admitted that they came to New Zealand in the guise of farm labour- ; ers, and as readily admitted that they ! had only done two or three weeks of such work in the whole of their lives. "In my opinion," he said, "it is not sufficient for the Government to restrict emigration, having a regard for the present state of trade and business throughout the country. I believe that the Government would be doing the right thing by absolutely refusing to spend any more money on assisted immigrants for some time t« come."