UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19332, 9 June 1928, Page 17

UNEMPLOYMENT.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE.

PLAN OP CAMPAIGN. • A meeting of the Citizens' Unemployment Committee •was held yesterday afternoon and was attended by the Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer), Mrs T. Green, Father Kennedy, the Eevs. P. Eevell, and F. Eule, Crs. Clyde Carr, J. W. Beanland, H. T. Armstrong, M.P., G. B. Hunter, E. H. Andrews, D. G. Sullivan, Messrs E. B. Owen, J. Young, G. Maginness, J. S. Barnett, E. Parlane, E. L. McKeon, A. F. Drayton, P. E. Climio, E, T. Bailey, A. E. Galbraith, P. W. Sharpe, E. M. Macfarlane, and W. E. Leadley (secretary). The secretary submitted the report of the sub-committee appointed to frame recommendations on the procedure to follow in regard to the work of the committee. It was recommended that an executive of nine should be appointed to carry out the work of the committee, and report to a general meeting of the committee every fortnight. The Mayor: It seems to me that the executive is rather big. It was stated that there were 28 on the committee. The recommendation was adopted and the committee as recommended -by the Bub-committee, consisting of the Rev. F. Eule, Crs. Herbert, D. G. Sullivan, E. H. Andrews, J. W. Beanland, and Messrs J. S. Barnett, W. E. Leadley, J. D. Hall, and the Mayor (ex-officio). The following committee were also set up:—Eelief depot: Cr. Herbert, Mrs T. E. Green, Father Kennedy, the Eevs. F. Eule, and P. Eevell, and Mr J. S. Barnett. Works: Crs. Hunter, Beanland, Messrs Galbraith, Young, Owen, and H. Worrall. Selection Committee. The Mayor expressed the opinion that the Selection Committee should consist of Mr Bailey only. Mr Bailey was head of the Labour Department in Christchurch, and was quite capable of carrying out the work. He would also be quite disinterested as far .as party interests were concerned. Mr Bailey said that the idea of having a selection committee was new to him. In Wellington the whole of the selection was carried out by the Labour Department. Mr Leadley suggested that representatives from the unemployed could be delegated to assist Mr Bailey. Mr Bailey: That can safely be left to the rank and file of the unemployed. After further discussion it was decided that the Labour Department should select the committee. "Just Touching the Fringe." Another proposal was that the Mayor should call a conference of the chairman and engineers of all local bodies to ascertain what work could be put in hand for the winter. The proposal was unanimously adopted. Cr. Hunter expressed the view that at present they were only scratching at the unemployment problem. "We are just touching the fringe," he declared, "and the number of unemployed is not diminishing, but increasing. I think pressure should be brought to bear on the Government for a £ for £ subsidy. We should ask for £IO,OOO to put the position on a proper footing and that should be backed up by the subsidy. That, I think, can be done. It was done in New South Wales where they voted a million, and every man should be prepared to put his hand in his pocket to help those who are down and out." An Appeal to the Public. It was reported that the sub-com-mittee had framed an appeal to the public for help in relieving the distress by providing useful work. "The position is much worse this winter than last," the report stated, "the number of unemployed men being substantially greater, and the resources of the City Council less adequate to deal with it. Last winter a very large number of men were found employment in connexion with the extension of the waterworks, to hitherto unreticulated areas in the City. That work has been concluded, as has also the work provided by the expenditure of the £25,000 unemployment loan. Unless increased financial help is forthcoming from our citizens, to enable work to be provided, the existing deplorable distress must be intensified to the point of even greater suffering. "Every man will be required to give a fair day's work for a fair day's pay, and men not up to this standard will be treated the same as they would be if employed in any other industry under similar conditions. The Committee is satisfied the men employed gave a fair day's work for their pay." The assistance asked of the public and of business houses was either a direct donation or weekly or monthly subscriptions from employees, which the firm might consider subsidising. Cr. E. H. Andrews, suggested that a house-to-house ' canvas's among the citizens would be productive of thousands of pounds worth of work. The Mayor said that he had sent one or two men out to houses on jobs, and their employers had expressed the greatest satisfaction at the work they had done. ' The question of organising a house to-houae canvass for work was referred to the executive. Registrations. . Mr Bailey reported that the total number of men registered at the Labour Department's bureau was 554, of whom 359 had dependents, while 195 were without dependents. Eelief work was in view for 30 men under the Forestry Department, and for 25 men under the Public Works Department. Seven married men and an equal number of single men registered yesterday. Six.men were given work on the Public Works at Hapuku. Mr S. Fournier withdrew his nomination yesterday as one of the representatives of the unemployed on the Citizens' Unemployment Committee. At a meeting of the unemployed yesterday Mr R. B. Owen gave an address on the river boulevard scheme.