THE UNEMPLOYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 168, 15 July 1908, Page 5

THE UNEMPLOYED.

DEPUTATION TO THE MAYOR. WANT WORK, if OT CHARITY. Another very large of the unemployed waited on his Worship the Mayor (Mr. A. M.. Myers) this morning with petitions for. relief, 'The Council Chamber was crowded by between, 100 and 130 men, .while another large batch patiently awaited results' in- the street. Mr. E. F. Way.said they wished the City Council to endeavour to afford help to those" who were vainly seeking employment, by pushing .on various necessary works., With respect. to the ment that .men were required by. the Kauri Timber Co., he had: ascertained that experienced bushmen only were required, and they had to go to the various bush contracts, there to be engaged or rejected. The Mt. : Albert Road Board had given half a dozen men employment at stone-breaking, ■ and a few bad been sent to the Government railway works. This only touched the fringe of the trouble, however, and they asked, with regard to the railway contracts, that the Mayor should request the Premier to appoint an independent officer to investigate the conditions under which the men had to. work.. There was evidence ~to' prove that the men earned from 4/ to C/ per day in fine weather, and it was absolutely impossible fcr men living\at the railway extensions, where everything was expensive, to keep a wife and family on this rate of pay. Mr. Black remarked that the unemployed contained some of the finest specimens of working men. • They were, one and all, seeking for work, not charity,'-and dozens . asid dozens were practically destitute. It might be possible for the City Council to place, say, 100 or 150 men on the ">ads. It would ■help the position until, the .Governmentcould decide on some definite scheme for the employment of this-large body of men. About 50 or. 60 only had been employed already since the commencement of the trouble, some, at temporary work in town, and others by the Labour Department.- The othersj numbering some hundreds, were waiting for work, and it would not. be their fault if they were pushed to extremes by the condition under which they.were living. About 200 -more emigrants had arrived, and of these there were over 100. general labourers, for whom something would have to be done. . < ■ Mr. Myers could only again express liis regret at seeing such a large body of unemployed, and the majority were not the same faces he had obssrved last, week, showing conclusively - that there was a large number of men out of work at tfce present time. He had already communicated' with the Premier, as promised at the last deputation, and would again enquire from the' Kauri Timber Company it there was no opening for inexperienced men' at their bush contracts. . As for the City Council-placing a large number of men on some special work, he pointed out that they were at present employing about 250-jnen, which was as many as present weather conditions and the means at their disposal would justify. A poll would be taken on the 28th inst. for loans to the extent of £ 132,000, and if the necessary! sanction of the ratepayers ■ were received, they could rest assured that, the Engineer would at once receive instructions to proceed with the different works. .' If tthe ' Government would only pass the Drainage Bill, there would be the means of giving employment to' many men. He would consult, with the City Engineer, and if the weather conditions were-favourably they would endeavour to anticipate as much as posible, the amount which was available, and put on as many men as they could. If he was handed a written statement of the conditions under which work was" carried'on OH- the Government con?, tracts he would communicate" it'to the' Premier. . : ' Mr. Way promised to supply the inform mation, and added that with respect"to the conditions at the Kaipara and iiukerunui e.vnsiisions, there was an absolute necessity for some sort of supervision in order tiiat the men might earn a living wage. He could say from- his own observation. that the system of in- • spection on these works was; and still is, disgraceful. " > ■ The deputation then withdrew, and a considerable, crowd gathered at the- Grey ' Statue, 'where various speakers harangued the meeting. < : .- •