THE UNEMPLOYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 215, 12 September 1888, Page 4

THE UNEMPLOYED.

Atf extremely interesting correspondence has been carried on in the columns of. th c London ''Times " on themuch vexed question of employment to tho deserving destitute. Amongst the contributors t° the valuable information there given on this subject are Cardinal Manning, Lord Meath, Mr Harry Jones and several who. use, nommea de plumes. 'The "Times " sums the whole matter up in a leading article in which it vigorously con-: demns Cardinal Manning's theory, that poverty i leads , naturally to ■ crime, and that' a' man UvUl qualify "for a piisoh, rather than go to a workhouse,. This correspondence ia moro especially interest' ing to us in Now Zealand when read iD connection^ with Dr. McGregor's report cm the same subject in this colony. - The circumstances of the two countries are so totally different, the causes which have led to tho destitution and pauperism in the old country, and those which cause the lack <of i employment and consequent poverty in> this^ are so diverse, thdt it is highlyinstructive to compare the remedies proposed to be applied in eachscase/ There •is in this country a certain percentage, but we believe a very small percentage indeed,, of meh able' to work, who would prefer loafing, eating the bread of idleness orl,sub3i6ting on charity, to earn-' ing an holiest living. In every community there must bo always a cortain proportion of criminals and lazy ruffians, and it is al-1 most hopeless to expect under any circunistancesj that such men would tak6 advantage of.any: opportunity goffered them ~to earn an- honest living. This particular class, from causes. easily understood, are extremely numorous in tho old country ; with us in this new country they foriii the exception. ;.. ' . .-.<• j ■/ 'As an illustration of this we may montion two efforts made in Auckland, and one in London,; to_ Bupply; remunerative ■employmentto the deserving and industrious ptior. In Auckland, when two years ago the ■unemployed agitation was at its heightjipeople were not slow to characterise .those who' took, part in the movement ; as. loafers,' -'and averred that no matter what" work; was offered them they would not accept -it, or, if;they, accepted, they would shirk it. The returns recently published concerning the Village Settlements,; where ' these" men and ;:their' families1 were .placed,, proves how false the reasonings of > those detractors of, 'the people were. On the other .hand, Mr W. M. Aeworth, writing to the,':? Times "of a philanthropic attenipt which >yas made to set the inmates of^ a casual ward on their feet, arid to-give them a fair, start to recover the. position .which they'had;!lost, tells what a lamenjbablb failure it was. He says, out of more tHan a hundred oases only four passed the preliminary test. Three of these refused to allows anyi enquiry>.to ?be nsade "into their antecedents, r The solitary survivor : hacl his chance given him, and he turned out' not unsatisfactory. These, be it observed, were the inmates of a casual ward* On the other hand,, ; another experiment was made by oifiplbying upwarclß of 200 men, who all had families, who ..were unemployed,, and destitute, but who were certified' to as beings of good character and genuine residents in thoir parishes, in turning a dirty piece of ground at Caiaberwell, of about 14; acres, into a park, with lawns, flower-be<is, fountains, garden. seats.etc. *The work these fcmen { performed was slow, owing to inexperience arid want of food; and many of them worked in their coata. On the Clerk of Works being asked the reason of this^ he said that they were ashamed to take them off and expose; what -was beneath. He said,: also, that most of the men employed had arrived af> destitution s ana being now to rough toil, they soon had their hands so flayed that they had to be bound in rags before.sbey could;inhale, their tool*, but' they were showing: marked j Improvement both in T handiness and health. .;^Pp; ■McGregor in his reporh Bajre thab j pauper ism in this country has reached such i a pitch that itmueb ba stamped out/ and in order rtaarplvo ab this satisfactory, result, ! iie proposes tho roughesb find barest eubpistence. with a, rigid wprkhouae teßt, :Now, J)v, H^Qvego^ panadei would ha perfect if our unemployed were o| the same stamp I

i as those occupying the London casual ward above referred to ; bub, wo take it, the majority of our unemployed have not' Been' brought to that .position through any faultof their' own, ; bub>through the reckle«B extravagance of our rulers and bad legislation. ' V - . - .. '• ' ■ ■ -■ ■ i-Thel^Times"'. points out that it is a great mistake to infer, as does Cardinal Manning, that the unemployed represent the flower of the working classes, that the certainty is the;other way, and instances a case where a number of men made a piteous appeal to a philanthropist as their employer had turned off half his ■hands. " Then," said the philanthropist, " I am afraid that you.must have been the worst half." But all these arguments, so telling as regards a great manufacturing country v like Britain, have no weight when applied to a new countrysuch as New Zealand, where common sense, if nothing else, should teach us that so long as there "is good land lying idle there ought to be no: unemployed, no poverty and no destitution. ■: The" Times "jsays, and rip doubt with" reason, " That there are good and deserving men to be found among the unemplbyed we have no thought bf'denying. We say only that they do notform the bulk of the class or more than a slender proportion of it. The position of most of thdm is what they themselves have made it. Drink, idleness, irregularity, untrustworthiness, want of forethought, or downright in capacity to work, are among the common causes to which want and poverty are to be traced. The sufferers, even so, are objects of pity, Hut their unwritten claim upon society is a good deal reduced when the reasons are known which have made it necessary for them to urge it. 1? . : •J3ranting thatr the '' Times " is correct, W say; the position out here is not the same. Although amongst our unemployed: there are undoubtedly a number of loafers, there, also will be found in their ranks some - of. the best and most ; skilful workmen' in the country, and the honest, industrious, unskilled unemployed are so because there are no employers to give them work, and in the absence; of sufficient .means they are unable to settle on land. * -John Stuart Mill laid down the axiom thatj" every'■■person' alive ought to have a subsistence before anyone has more. Whosoever works at any useful thing ought:to be properly fed and clothed, before anyone able to work is allowed to receive the bread ] of idleness." Cardinal .-Manning goes a! good deal ; further.-than this. He saysl that has no law; and 'that a' starving man has a natural-right to his neighbour's bread. The "Times "argues • against the morality of;the axiom of John' Stuart Mill, and is very, severe on the Cardinal for his communistic utterance. Cardinal Manning's statement, that poverty leads naturally to crime, was completely disproved by some official;figures" which the ■.■."-Times.": publishes as follows : •". In 1877 the ayprage daily .number of adult able-bodied paupers in receipt of indoor relief wias 16,000 ;.;■ it rose year by year, wibh slight fluctuations, till in 1885 it was 26,000. In 1877 the average daily population of the local prisons was 20,400 ; it has fallen year by fyfiar, > with "slight fluctuations, till in pB6 it: was'-'uader 15,400. : It would; be impossible^ to conceive a more complete,, and direct ..disproof of Cardinal Manning's theory. kJ

The Bombay. -'Aden' cables are now restored. ' ,■•'*•■■ ■ ; A correspondent of the VOtago Daily Times'' writes :—" I hear on whafc appears to bo good authority that it is practically settled that the head-quarters,of the Bank of New; Zealand, will shortly be;removed from Auckland' to^^■<'Wellingt'onvia%btder r|9' escape the Auckland influence; which, has hitherto operated1 so mischievously, on the fortunes of the bank, i hoar also privately that those 'in the know' are very sanguine as to the bank's future, and , are quietly buying up,shares at the present low prices; confident [bf;.an early rise after the coming meeting," ; The following business was transacted at the Harbour 'Board-after we went to press yesterday :-r-Tenders were opened for additions to Victoria Wharf as follovvs:: Ricl> tod \Vfiife, £1,114,14s 3d; Alex. Sutherland, £1; 168 ■;, Sims and Brown, £1,104108 ; George Niccol, £1.i033 ;■ C. Rhodes, £1,303 le4d; Haywbod arla'Martin {accepted), £993. The Foreman of Worki'estimate was £1^092 Ids. Mr Niccbl moved, and1 it was agreed, "That:the foreman.of works be requested to'report to the Works and Tariff Committee at an early date' upon the following works at Calliope Dock :—(i) Fencing Dock, yard. (2) Dbckkeeper's cottage; (3) Latrine arrangements. : (4) Improvement inVcaisson gear." -.(5): Breastvyork at entrance of Dock. (6) Continuation of discharge , culvert." . Captain McGillyray's letter, published in our last i?sue, was simply received, no action to be taken, and "Mr Clare's application for , permit to erect a frqtaining wall was referred -to the Works Cpmmittee. .;'.;■-- ; ;.>^',,',; .■.■;■■".■• v : '~* The Ladies' Association *>nnriftcted with St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Ponsonby, continues its useful work with great -success. ' The?:' annual "'gathering un der its auspices .was • held in th c : Pon spnby Hall last Friday evening, and was well attended, the hall being almost full. The interior of the building was completely transformed in'appearance by1 the'tasteful decprationsTThe Rey.;'l).W. Runcimaaprer sided, Addresses were delivered by the chairman, the^:Rey.^ J,; Chew an^Lthe Rev.; R. F. Macnicol. At 9 o'clock tea and coffeo and other refreshmenta were sowed from tables super abundantly Bupplied by ladies conneoted with ;the lAßsbciatibn. At intervals duriogtho, evening musicals selections .were rendered.by; .st. Stephen's Church:■. choirj Mr Philpot conducting..",; A vote of thanks to the speakers and to the ladies who had got up the entertainment/ was accorded by; "Mr Peacock,: M.H.Rm and the gathering,1, which proved . to'; be a .thoroughly enjoyable one, dispersed,; everybody wishing that such pleasant feunions came oftencr. The, piano and organ used were kindly lent by Mr Webb, Hobsonstreefc. ' * : Mr Albert Burcher, accountant, wishes to Gorreeb the statement made in our report of the case,. Arthur D. Bennett v.' North Now Zealand Woollen Manufacturing Company, to■■thra effect that he had been in Mr Beiinett's: employ. 3 He: simply .Bupervised the opening of the capital account for the :.GompanyV ■ - •*;; ' - . Mr F. Lawry, M.H.R. for Franklin North, will probably start addressing public meetings in" his electorate in the course of ten or twelve days, but ■& definite, ahnbuncement of his; intentions. will appear indue course. .. ' --'..'.\'.,,' > • In addition to Mr Blackman'a paper on ''Robert Browning," a good programme will be provided at the meeting of the Burna Club to-morro^ evening. Mr Lyle, at last Thursday!s meeting; sang great acceptance, "So Early iri!; the Morning," . and gave " Charining JVoman" as an encore piece. Those wero inadvertently omitted from the report of the meeting. ■■■■■ Mr Thos. Humphreys, -8.A.,-Jhas published an excellent '.'? Handbook of the Auckland GoldfieWii." This, little -work gives a good doßoriptiou of tho mining parts of the goldfiold end on interesting Bkotch of its history. , The lwok\vm ; be very acceptable' just * ixoyr', and . ought • t0;... contnbuto matfiirially to the prosperity of jour gold. field by making its reßOuroos more widely known, ■'■ -: ■,:.■■,,..:. ■.■■: . if ■ ■>■ :■ : Mr Groonwood Carlyle, private eccretary -to Miss Yon Finkelstein, ie a passenger by the Botomahana. wHoS wUi'smve rat /VYelUnston m Friday,: ,»n4 the .celebrated lectureßS will e9W»OUCB her Mw Zealaa^ tour In tbafcelty,

whether from tlio elf> which also mi,'?'" o! ft& was giveri 'it! tiSTon !hm9l last cveninfr Thero ■'■Si Resided 6 ' U"d thd Re.^R.'§H Carter; eoiaji, '"LdcSeV^H h» Bluobolts i{ s§« Reid and lira Edmonds ous), "Oeeina Kaye oii'th^(2jß j Mercer ; . election, ")', . tll( j {)•?■ bright Srr.ilo Hauut3 Mo Still'SH vote of thanks t«i al!jji?24S place lat-i'V/cning in • W4|flH

I to % ]£ and' East I/ »{sff b|a and very cold 1 '■l ' ffbatci qfjC£ Dthis morning by WA r ,l7j«' r?- h 'habit before it. got »«*» fcilo,rhik Alexander 1^ hold "P?"^ b wore each ft-fS i"1 ?? Bl r fIIESSs in default. fe^JS s»cd £1 and Kcf*^Br dof athePermanOTt ArfcSp" ffhiCfhe"S were token.over H|| H cad the Govelcment i< ■'■■ ■ ;n,nnthlv meeting of the l^^y'K&n was held yesI;-> 5^ fcff Ca? a nceß»ildingß. There ■ff|: g'finitV ra"er' r j. 1 the1 engineer I' to reduce their I * *°Tr tfl*6 per month in.conse■K 5, -Id »nil the assets ■^ & itwi fl iifi:4i cine or retreating. ■ •--'■> story S 0']1K *'ie Tmr]ds of the KWtiie proprietor of a vineyard at Ktfiafto dwtrirt O f the Rhone, boBiff!' 'of introducing rtrawbeijy WOW kga ■, berries,. because ~ these ■r jfcher engender or attract an m s rtch fates a jileasare in seekI, , Dflßuing, and devouring tio ■~ -/it & i|fea fetting one pest ■fe'Biiother. The plan is amazingly BC.: The strawberry insect sought X; Viltel tho vine insect on no Br cai( !nt cciy boonnot a phjlBet.w 'efti ul'd ie v'n^s were e^fc " Bb',,^ tlieir piapcs in parfection. Klioeoioui device lias been followed ty with equal success ; and Hv todi tLrtfc their vines have been Hi:1!? ■ Klaltlsy" : gince' the"'; strawberry jK; i kfci introducod in their midsG. been a remarkable ■Mjrtr Russia. As in Russia baJves, you never hear of burned down, but "a Bra||ppsfei>U;iMt;i of wliiuii to the > \~ ■' ' aro canipinf; in jtoffl '.sorjinmwr I'll !,ince 1881 there SLasnotlueiijadujva1 For tiros as the jircIfsf TijepnuuraJau^yl all uhc^eiuedi& |ji|lfiSWJJCe'cffic&yA3 rood as a man has [■stiireil his few for- double its value iJMku.i't'oa fia'H-itliont tho slightest I r t.i, hs a b ings inside. &o lJ -"<, _' if nil", iidiavics , wlio ■ are I- jtt are judged; cbodemiied, and sent | I>.^fi»i botDotone in 10 is caught, and jKcftbo ctotrophes attributed to evil \ -- In Finland, where Mi.' )*" "D^ * 'iero a man who f""' 6', "i ''re wilfully is shot down ■*«>if'g;" Onco a tliioi always a thief 1? •■ I tcrps tut .in: the case of Robert ,»--•. ■•:.« Loughran, who was som6 W« ago. arrested at New Plymouth. «• ]k' m- ia!t • a Berii:B of very X wbbene-1 ia Dunedin several W^I', generally between the hour:, fflrfn i ! ertl' n'clnLk in the m(«n-■ftt-cttoplctely baffle.l the police Wm ■tiolo. . Evetihiclly he wua K*S^° riun»i CoD"nitted f oil trial. MfflW;.received a sentence of Kiu If" ;iV ?er>'itude- )SinM that ifcVJi! : y a.ltcr' llis lib«ation from * IJ|; l^uu he jeeriveda sentence Jv;l''}!", J"!' w fß'ary at Napier. ■gjWUnoffn criminal uained John jEJ^.Wuting trial for forgery and iM^^ei false ptj lices . ■ft ,ShlSmemwr the series of forliS, 00™^ "'any years H!3i all 0l»«l the White Horse r a thence to Pal•B»d5& °tclein that Place. I** ' S mJra^ il1 ' an<l Portly' [lr^val,v; lgelotel- Since Won HElrf ;f T' "bo^b 1865, W% SSI;' ancViit!Veral forgeries

This afternopn ;a -number; of bluejackets and marines from H.M.s.,Diamond were abput town, having come ashore on special leave. :

The public should be on their guard against 'spurious florins and half-crowns which appear to be in pretty free circulation in Auckland at the present time. A gentleman who had a bad florin returned to him by his banker threw the coin into the harbour; being a "fishy" afiair it may pass currents among the sehnapper tribe. A half-crown has been shown us which is a very good imitation, save, that it is a little light, while the image and lettering are not so. sharply cut as in the genuine article. : Ib is to Tie hoped that the police may trace these swindling coins .to those who make them or put them in circulation.

.The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has presented the Free Library with fuur volumes dealing upon the treatment of animals.,

The flags of the .s.s. Rose Casey and one or two coastal steamers, and also those of a number of small craft in harbour, were to-day flying at half-mast out of respect to the .memory of the late Captain Kaspar, who died last night at Eden Terrace. Captain Kaspar was very well-known in Auckland, and had been for many years captain of the steamers Lady Bowen and Rose Casey. For several years past he has been living on his farm at Mahurangi; and came up to tbwn only a few days ago.

'"There was a very large attendance at the Columbia Skating Rink last evening. Mr Salmon, the manager, announced that this evening there'wbiild be a mile "race between the members of the English F.ootball Team, and that on this occasion the complimetitary tickets of the rink would not hold good.;-.1 " ■ ■:' : 7 "':': ■. '■■ ", - ' ■''■' ' ;■""''

The Pitt and .Vincent-streets; Band of Hope entertainment was held last Monday evening when there was a fair attendance. The progrhmme was supplied by the Mount Eden Band of Hope —*Mr Bridgman in the: i:hair--and the following items were rendered:—Pianoforte duet, Misses Allies and Pulinan ; recitation, "The Auction," Miss Lily Shepherd ; song, " Robin Adair," Miss M^pncur ; recitation, " Saved at Last," Miss Ada Bibby; pianoforte solo, "Alice," Miss Jessie Hanson ; vocal duet, " Comical Courtship," Miss Moncur arid Mr Nesbitt; song, "Papa Stay Home, I'm Motherless Now," Miss AmyGrindrod ; reading," Boy Wanted,"MrW. H. Freeman ; song, "Am I Dreaming ?" Miss Hampshire ; address, Mr Cole; recitation, \* In the Children's Hospital, !sMisa Webley; recitation, V Where do You Live?" Miss Liny Shepherd ; song "Disenthralled," Mr Grindrod ; violin solo with piano accompaniment,. " Home Sweet Home," Messrs Gatenby. After according j vote of thanks to the Mount Eden friends ; the meeting terminated.