UNEMPLOYED POSITION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1926, Page 9

UNEMPLOYED POSITION.

NO WORD YET

WAITING FOR AUTHORITY.

TO BORROW MOXEV,

When the Unemployed Relief Committee met at noon to-day there was no word from the Prime Minister that Cabinet had granted local bodies authority to raise money without taking a poll, and until that permission is granted there is little likelihood of the position of the unemployed in the city beins? materially relieved.

This was generally admitted this morning when the list of unemployed registered at the Labour otliee totalled 1370. which shows an increase on the previous totals. Since the committee was set up 120 men had been placed in employment, and to-day word was received that it was hoped to send .jO m?n to public works this week-end. The Auckland branch of the Fellowship Reconciliation Association sent alone a donation of £1. which was handed ovpr to tlio Salvation Army. Mr. Mellines read several applications for employment which had been sent to the Mayor, and he pointed out that the Mayor did not receive applications, and that they must he. forwarded to the Labour Department's unemployment bureau. It was decided to hold the next meetins on Friday, when it was hoped some advice would be available re the authority for local bodies to borrow money.

LABOUR PARTY'S STATEMENT.

FIVE THOUSAND OUT OF WORK.

A statement relative to unemployment hae been handed to the Press by Mr. Walter Nash, national secretary of the New Zealand Labour party. We make the following extracts: —

"Reports from all parts of the Dominion state that large numbers oi men and women are unemployed, .md that acute distress is prevalent in many homes. The evidence available suggests that at least five thousand adults are unemployed.

"Whilet the seasonal naturo of many of our industries renders i.irge numbers of men idle during the winter months, the situation has been aggravated by the action of the Government, who have granted assisted passages to people from Great Britain. Out of two thousand immigrants who arrived in the laet fortnight of May, at least seven hundred men and a large number of women would be competitors for work. If they are working they have either (a) displaced an equal number of workers who have been discharged, or (b) have obtained jobs which would have been available for those already unemployed in the Dominion."

"\\ hen a number of unemployed waited upon the Prime Minister "to recite the tragic nature of various cases, and requested that v.-ork should be provided at wages based on the minimum paid by the Arbitration Court, the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, replied: 'You will get work at the rate of wages we decide, not what you decide. Work will be provided for necessitous cases, and yon may take it or leave it, just as you like. . This does not mince matters —it sets out clearly the policy of the Government without waste of words. "They (the immigrant.* , ) came here because the propaganda in Great Britain had led them to believe that work was available in plenty—and that there were wonderful opportunities to make good. This propaganda was strengthened by the Government paying portion of their shipping passages. Propaganda and the Government immigration policy induced these people to break up homes in the Old Country—to bring their wives and children 13.000 miles overseas to a strange country, and .because they express their disappointment at the distress which they have experienced since their arrival, the Prime Minister tells them it would be better if they went back whence they camp.

"The responsibility of the present distress is essentially with the Government. Two months aio the Prime Minister issued a warning of possible trouble ahead: hut npparentlv no steps were taken to cither reduce the flow of immigrants or to nbsorb thorn when they arrivptl in the Dominion.

"The Labour party realises that there is ample room in the Dominion for a properly organisc<l system of immigration, but any sy=tem should be preceded by: (I) A definite housing policy to relieve the existing shortn.ee and provide for newcomers: (2) An official inquiry into trades and occupations to determine as far as possible what avenues of employment arc open: (3) The selection* in C.rpat Britain should be in accord with the needs of the Poir.iTvnTi. Tf thn Government will attack tlip hon=in2 «!iort"i?e aid regulate the flow* of imm'prntion to accord with Hie n n cv!~ of t'i" D.-,ra'nion. thoy -f, iin depend ou t'v> co-operation of the Labour party. lit;t ri.o prrs«»nt policy not only Rccontiitifes the liou^njr living rnndiiion , of tl.o majority of Xcw 7.r?.]?.r.-\ c't:7cr.s."

roi.:cT.

■':•■.■ ;:■■ moxs , n;>"or.UTr-.o:. of of nlmut •"0 rni.ons he'd a mating ::t t'-.o Trades Hall last prenms wlmn th" subiect of imniiqrrst !on was freely d's>:iiSsPcl by various speakers. The following resolution, n ropy of wbieh is to be forwfmlrd to t'lP Prime Minister, was enrriefl: "That this meeting demands of the Government the immediate cessation of the immigration policy as now conducted by the Government until such time as every person requirins employment has at full trades union rates of pay. n.nd housing accommodation at a rental commensurate to the wages paid. -.

LOCAL ORGANISATION FSOTZSTS.

TELEGRAM FROM PREMIER. Yesterday the secretary of th , Auckland branch of the unemployment organisation sent a telegram to t'.te Prern'er emphatically protesting agans: the slowness of steps taken to reTeve unemployment, seeing that only !'O nut of 1200 unemployed have been phecd in temporary positions. This morning Mr. Coatee sent a te'egTaphic reply, stating that he was giving the matter consideration, and would reply at an early date. It'is reported that several of the unemployed are collecting money from the public". Inquiries at the various unemployed organisations show that no person's have" been authorised to collect on their behalf.