SYDENHAM COUNCIL.

THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

An adjonrned meeting of the Sydenham Borough Council was held last night to consider the unemployed question, and that of the purchase of the local Oddfellows' Hall. There were present—His Worship the Mayor and Crs. Brown, Winny, Rudd, Booth, Hadfield, Muffett, Nancarrow, Samuels, Langdown, Forrester, Taylor, and Smith.

The Mayor stated that the Works Committee had met, and had been unable to come to any solution of the unemployed difficulty, and had nothing to recommend. The difficulty seemed to be that whilst they might find enough streets to lower they could not find the funds. If the Council could find the funds no doubd the Committee would be able to find the work. In answer to questions, he said that the Committee could account for £100 more than the estimates. The covering in of the bath was included in the estimates, but even were that gone on with it would not affect the labourers. He drew attention to a lißt which had been prepared, which gave the names of forty-six unemployed, fourteen of whom were ratepayers. In answer to Cr. Smith, the Mayor said the Works Committee could not euggest the reduction of any of tho estimates. Cγ. Booth said it appeared to him that the most feasible scheme for relief was to push on the work of road maintenance. The Mayor said there was only 400 yds of metal to come, and the Way in which it was being delivered would only give work to one man in spreading. (Jr. Winny considered that the bath money, £300, might be diverted and applied to relief. He suggested that several footpaths could be improved with advantage. Cγ. Taylor explained that he was not opposed to relieving the unemployed, though he felt it was the duty of the Government to provide relief. He moved—"That the question of roofing and heating the bath be postponed until next year, and that a sum not exceeding £200 be spent in street lowering, in relieving the unemployed of Sydenham." Hβ felt that a work of necessity should take precedence of that tor luxury. Cγ. Kudd seconded the motion.

The Mayor ruled the question out of order, as the Committee bad been instructed to call for tenders for the work at the bath.

Cγ. Taylor then moved—"That a sum not exceeding £200 be spent during the next two months in lowering and forming the most necessary portions of the streets in the borough as may be decided by the Council."

The Mator ruled that the expenditure of this £200 would be an extraordinary expenditure, and he could not accept the motion.

Cγ. Tayxor then moved—"That subject to the Works Committee being satisfied that the following streets are public streets the Committee be authorised to proceed to employ a number of the unemployed in the lowering and regrading of Selwyn, Kent and Hume streets, and such others as may be decided upon." C'r. Forrester seconded the motion.

Some objection was taken to the selection of these streets, as there were others which required permanently improving equally as much.

Discussion, the reading of legal opinions as to the position of the streets, and a statement from the Foreman followed, and then the portion of the resolution referring to public streets was expunged, after which the motion was carried.

On the motion of Crs. Taylor and Langdown it was resolved—" That a letter be sent to Mr Taylor, M.H.R., asking him what steps he has takeu to lay before Parliament the Council's Bill to amend the Public Health Act, and asking him to do his utmost to get the Bill passed, and if serious opposition is made to the proposal to abolish the fees for reporting infectious diseases to ■accept a compromise by reducing the fee to Is, and that Messrs Beeves and Sandford, M.H.8.8., be asked toco-operate with Mr Taylor in the matter. ,. The matter of the Town Hall was deferred, after which the Council adjourned.