DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING. EMPLOYMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2012, 15 September 1892, Page 15

DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING. EMPLOYMENT.

At the last meeting of the Benevolent (Institution Trustees, the Secretary stated ,that .the outdoor relief book showed that £he -number of cases relieved duringthe month wasi4o9, representing 155 men, 339 women, and 982 .children, the cost of whose maintenance was L 129 10s ud. '. . ; • . • .Fifty applications for relief were then i dealt with. Among those who applied 'for assistance was a labouring man, 25 years of age, who stated that he lived in Ashburton, and had a<w?feand family there. He had made about LIQ at potato digging before he got out of work. • He stopped at Ashburton for a fortnight, but could get nothing to do. He then tramped through the Mackenzie country and through Middleman*', calling 1 , at the stations to see if ne could find employment, but without being successful. He then .cauie on to Dunedin and applied at the labour/bureau for work. Ho was now without money. ' i-\. ■ Mr Haynes expressed the opinion th&t the institution was not the place for a man" like this. He thought that he. had better go ba&.ijo'Ashburton, where he was known, as he ha,a chance of getting work there than here:, ;;- - The Chairman road the .following lettex.wlnch. he had received from Mr Farnie with.- regard to the man :— " Will you please give this no^r fellow two or three nights' lodging in thd Bepevoleht Institution until something is found fpr,him in the shape of work. He is very hard, UP,' gujd, -according to his own story, has bad nothing to -eat to*dav '* • - - r V"' * • It was decided to hear what the next applicant had to say. He was, it appeared, a mftrriejrmftn, whose wife and family resided ni\ Timdru.v-He had come to Dunedin to look for work, ana. wasm destitute circumstances. ' • '"'':- tA . The Chairman read a letter from, Mr : Firnw asking the trustees to put the man- 19 the. institution until he was able to send,-hua 1 uo s to / .wa , works on the Otago Central railway; After reading the letter. Mr Solomon said there ;di<v not , appear to be any immediate prospect- of anyjpody t going to the Otago Central; • ' ,> <- ' ; . . ; ' - The Applicant said Mr Farnie hoped to-be oMo to send some men up in a week s tiine/t v- '. - The Chairman: I think we can 'utilise, the • labour of these two mcn,in the institution up to the value of their keep ; and under. those circumstauces the best thing will be to let" them stop in the institution and work for their board. ' ■ The trustees agreed with the chairman,, ana it was decided to adopt the course be had indicated. A sailor then applied for relief. It -appeared that he belonged to the Manapoun, which had been laid up For some time. He had five young childien to support. - / The Inspector said the applicant was a very decent man, and would not come before the trustees if he could get any work to do: - It was decided to give the man two days work. A number of othor applications for relief were then dealt with.

At the weekly meeting of the Dunedin Catholic Literary Society a debate was taken on the question of Home Rule for Scotland, and it was resolved unanimously" that this meeting is of opinion that Home Rule should be granted to Scotland when the demand for autonomy is made by the Scottish people." -