THE UNEMPLOYED.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2939, 16 May 1891, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

(|!Y TEMIUHAPII. — I'KKKS ASSOCIATION). Wki.mngion, Last Night. A iiKi'UTvriON of tho unemployed waited on the Ministers at noon. Mr I'isher said they represented 100 men who had children dependent on them, and he knew nmny more, qnito 300, altogether out of work. Tho Premier said thn Uovominent recognised that a certain duty devolve.l on them to keep the pooplo in work but they could not tind employment at their trados, all they had was road making, and he tluui/lit they could pmvidu for about a hundred. If j would send them to this districts and find tools. Speaking generally, he thought the cure for the attraction of labour to tho towns was to bo found in tho Village Settlements. (July a few days ago blocks were set apart in Wairarapa for this purpose and he hoped to see some men now seeking fur work settle there. It was the duty of the Government to keep the statistics of the unemployed regularly and it was their intention to ask Parliament to allow a Ministm- of Industry boing appointed who should watch over the interest uf labour, otherwise the exodus from the colony would go on. The Government accepted their responsibility and intended to do all they could to keep the people employed. The Hon. \V. P. Reeves added that the Government thought well of the euggestion that an official in tho country should bo employed in keeping a register of all available work and sending it to other parts of tho colony. Mr Fisher asked the Premier whether the liorowlißnua block could be made available as a Village Settlement, and Mr Ballance promised to look into it. The Hon. P. Buckley, in consequence of the remark about tho Government printers working overtime, said ho would sob if there was any opening for unemployed compositors, and, if so, they should have it.