LAZY HUSBANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 215, 9 September 1921, Page 7

LAZY HUSBANDS.

MEN WHO WONT WORK. SCHEME OF COMPULSION. (By Telejrraph.— nSpecial to "Star.") CHRISTCHUROH, this day. We arc h earing a good deal now about men who cannot work. A deputation from the Christchuroh Coal and Blanket Fund, which waited on the Canterbury members of Parliament committee yesterday, had a pood deal to say about men who don't «Tant work. The deputation asked that something should be done to compel men to work wiho would not work and provide maintenance for their families. It was suggested that there should be detention camps, or farm colonies, and that the money earned should be given to wives and children. The appointment of "flicers to collect maintenance moneys v.as also urged.

lister Grace instanced the case of one man who practically never -worked, though he had a wife and seven children. A member of the committee had been supplying the family •with one meal a day for several months. Work in the c-ountry iwsis obtained for the man, but owing to his lazy habits, he missed a train. WBien he arrived on the job 24 hours' lato lie -was dismissed. She cited ;i case o-f another man with eleven children, whose ages ranged from two months to 15 years. This man really did nr>t earn his livelihood.

Another lady mentioned several cases, the general features of which were lazilress on the part of the father, lying in bed till the day pot warm, and ° indulgence in tobacco and drink. In one case of a family of eight children, including a new baitry, the 'husband drank, and though he obtained good jobs h-e "simply won't work." Another man with 14 children preferred to play the flute in front of hotels, instead of supporting his family. Another woman 'had a husband who drank and preferred to go to gaol rather than support her. There were three children. In another case (the husband - 2S years of age, the wife 24 years of age, and two children), work had been obtained for the husband, but he preferred to stay in bed.

Two members of the committee knew of 50 cases of this kind.

The chairman (Mr. Isitt) suggested that a deputation representing the whok , of the Dominion should be got up to wuit on the Government during the coming session. He asked members of the dep-.it-i.tion to supply the committee with an;; particulars they possessed of experience in o*her countries with detention camps.