THE UNEMPLOYED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7824, 17 June 1909, Page 4

THE UNEMPLOYED.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. WELLINGTON, June 16. -.A deputation representing the unemployed in Wellington and Christchurch waited on the Premier to-day. It was introduced by Mr Ell, who said that -a large number of. men, many of them with families, were out of work in Christchurch. • Mr L. It. Wilson, (Secretary for the Unemployed Committee, Christchurch, said that local bodies of Christchurch refused to do anything .until the Government gave a £ for, £ subsidy. A careful estimate showed:that in Christchurch alone 1000 men were out of work. He contended that tho time had come when private labour, agencies should be abolished; Mr Ws W: Atkinson, a recent arrival in'"New Zealand, declared ttutt, apart from wages, the conditions of labour in this country were no better than in England. He felt like any other recent, arrival he had spoken to, and that he had been taken in.and done for. No more people.in England should be fooled into coming to New Zealand. ■ . ; Mr McLaren, M.P., said the position in Wellington was more acute than in any other part of the country. The position on the wharves had not been so serious for 15 years, and immigration should be discontinued. He declared that many private registry offices disseminated false information, and should be abolished. The Premier, in: reply, said that he would be glad to do what he could to meet the. difficulty if the extension of the Government Labour Bureau would assist in obtaining more reliable information. He would be prepared to do something, but was not prepared to commence a system of dispensing dhai'itable aid at this juncture in New Zealand's affairs, for it would not be even a temporary remedy. With the appropriation authorised by Parliament for public works the Government would be able to find work .for a number of men. The Shipping Companies' action in encouraging ■■immigration could not bo interfered with. The Government was not strongly^ encouraging immigration. The■■ difficulty of the situation was increased by men refusing to go into the country.: The Government was now employing 9GOO men on reproductive works, and _ the new appropriation would enable it to employ another thousand.