VICTORIA'S UNEMPLOYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 66, 18 March 1909, Page 4

VICTORIA'S UNEMPLOYED.

The -Methodist Conference in Melbourne V received a deputation of unemployed, aid listened to a speech by Edmund Turner their spokeman. Turner urged thaj though he was only spokesman. Of: one : hundred and fifty o~ two hundred yet it was a reasonable estimate thtt there -vvas always a reserve army iij 3,000 to 4,000 unemployed in Melbourne, At the present time he thought the/num« '.■ ber must be at least 10,000. At the las< census there were 13,800 registered «< being persons who on Saturday- night had no work to go to on Monday aiorn--ing. He asked that the t conference ' should make a pronouncement on -the ■ subject. ..,./ It was then resolved, on the m-otioa of Rev. A. T. Holden, "that the confeNV ence regrets that there should be anjj I number of men who want work, and caiß not get it. It urges upon municipal councils and private employers to do what they can to meet ,the need. IJ also expresses the opinion that the GflV ernment should open up lands arid re*i der such assistance as will give reaeow* able opportunity to men and their flaw, ilies to earn a livelihood on the land.and, moreover, that such Governmene works may be undertaken as 4je nece»" J sary, and that may relieve the present pressure." It was decided that a copy of tie resolution be forwarded to the A collection for the benefit of the un*V employed realised £12 9/6 ior.nece3si< tous cases. . ' . . iJ-i-'S