THE UNEMPLOYED IN AUCKLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7728, 23 February 1909, Page 3

THE UNEMPLOYED IN AUCKLAND.

DEPUTATION TO THE MAYOR

AUCKLAND, February 22. A deputation representing the' unemployed m Auckland waited upon the Mayor (Mr A. M. Myers) to-day, and asked that tho City Council should immediately go on with soijie-of the municipal works authorised, and thus give relief to the men out of employment. Mr It. F. Way stated that the position was more acute now than it had been for many years mist. "Unless something was done before the winter, when the flaxmill hands and gum-dig-gers would come down to swell the ranks of the unemployed, the position would be very serious. Mr Black, another member of the deputation, stated that there were at least GOO unemployed m Auckland ;snd some fifty of them had slept m the Domain the previous ni"ht. Mr Davis, president of the Political Labour League, said he was sure there were at least GOO unemployed m Auckland. He would go further, and compute the number out of work as nearer 1000. Another member of the deputation, a miner, said there were scores of men m Auckland existing on one meal a clay. That the Mayor should take action to prevent misrepresentation wherever he found it while on his visit to England was the course advocated by another. The Mayor said it seemed that there were many men anxious to work but unable- to find employment. The Prime Minister had promised to look thoroughly into the matter, but presumably they wanted something more practical than than. (Hear, hear.) In regard to his trip Home, he would be very sorry indeed to do anything to stop anyone coming to this country. New Zealand wanted population, although is was of course desirable that the tide of immigration should, if possible, l)e restricted to people of the right kind, and more particularly men who would work on the land. One of the deputation: Yes, if the Government can lip persuaded to open up the land. Mr Myers: That is so. It would bo regrettable if men were induced to come out here by misrepresentation, and it is quite clear that some are coming here who are not tho right class of immigrant. Continuing, the Mayor said the Council was now making preparation for the employment of more men on some of the big municipal works which had been authorised". He would go into the whole question with the city engineer at once, and see what could bo done. The impression had been created that there were some who were simply using the present acute circumstances for the purposes of Socialism, . and he suggested that they should prepare a list as soon as possible giving the name of every man out of employment, and the work he was used to, his age, whether married or single, and so on. Mr Myers then telephoned to the Labour Bureau, and learned that it had found work for 236 men since the beginning of the month, and had 172 men now on its books.