THE UNEMPLOYED.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 12014, 15 October 1904, Page 8

THE UNEMPLOYED.

TO TUB E&ITOB OF TUB PBESS. Sir, —I, as one of tike unemployed, wi*Ji to reply to the letter in yesterday's "Piiess," signed ''An Employer and Worker. ,, He makos a statement that, a large number are fond of being unemployed. Docs lw fvr one mwneut tkiiik

that honest men aw mean enough to live on tradespeople and never pay tlwir bills, so tbat tliey will see their wives and children go without food if tliey could get work? I think such a statement from anyone calling himself by the name of a mau is contemptible. 1 for one will go anywhere, or walk any distance, where I can get employment; in fact, only yesterday I walked ten milce in tlie rain, anil am willing to walk 200 miles if I can pr-et work. As to the statement- that many will not. Ipavo town, one rpason is they ha-ve not the muiM-y to take, if married, thvir wives and children. It would be mean for a man to leave tliem behind t<> do for themvlver. "Farmer"' Mates he is a fanner, and employs a fair number of hands, and that he is giving 50s a week ■infl found. Does he pay that amount a.ll routidj or is it only one , or two? If *o, ■would he kindly state what tho other hands receive. Perhaps our friend is very hard to plea-a*. He staK-s he can only jyct plenty of what he calls- by the name of "pointers" and "incapable*." Is the farmer so oft-en fond of clumping his ha.n<ls, and i* he very liar dtr> plea- 4 *, that he lias become so wi-11 known. Maybe that is the mwon for him not l>eing able to obtain men. or is it the men are not born to suit hi* requhementi'. I Iwivo several tunes applied to'tlie Labnur Bureau for any work, and would only bx too. hiippy to get it and a living w;igc, I mean so that I would Iw able to let the wife and children have food as well (is mys-wlf. As to the men ih;it "Parnwr" refers to a« never turning up, it would only be right for them to state their reason, as the public wantto have both sides of the que-«tioii. It ■would have been better for "Farmer" to l<-t his friend make Ids own statement chrough "The Prrre." then, no doubt, there would have l>ooll a reply. "Farmer" further throws the blame on the present Government. lam not a supporter of the Government, but am not foolish enough to blanio thorn for being tho oauM> of "Farmer's" trouble. "Farmer" likes top prices for his good-s. and it is only human nature for workers to expect the samo. We do not want to apply for the old age jK j nsion in our old age. There is not enough money in New Zealand for everyone to get rt just at present. " Farmer "' Jias also brought in tho Trades nr.d Labour Council in bis letter. If he will throw out a challenge to meet them, mi the public platform, he -would get whatever information he requires, and also Ktat« liis> own caw before the public, ani then we might know him better. I for one could bring several gentlemen I have work.-vl for to itato that I have dime honest work, so I think I have a right to answer the slur cast upon the honest unemployed from " Farmer." Ho brings Mr .T. E. Taylor also to book re bis jstatemenl about " wage *Javee." Mr Taylor is quite able to look after himself, and I as one of the unem•ployed thank him for his action on behalf of tho honest, unemployed, not only of Christchurch. but elsewhere.—Yours, etc., HONEST UNEMPLOYED.