THE UNEMPLOYED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18923, 11 February 1927, Page 9

THE UNEMPLOYED.

MINISTER INTERVIEWED.' STATEMENT WHEN MR COATES RETURNS. A deputation from the Christchurch unemployed waited on ti.e Minister for i Lands, the Hon. Mr MeLtod, last even- > ing, and n.'-koil tor a cessation of the Gove; nimnt s assisted immigration policy ami tur immediate work to relieve the situation. The deputation cuiisi»iod ot a dozen men, ami the speakers were Mr E. J. Howara, M.l'., Mr Li. Worrall, ami Mr D. G. S«Hivan, Ml> - *1 ho Minister promised to u° into too suggestions made l>v the deputation, but said that the immigration question would have to Le left to the Printe Minister, the lion. Mr Coates, who would make a pronouncement on his return to New Zealand in a few days. 31.- Sullivan introduced the deputation. statin.* that what troubled him was not only the extraordinary position ot" unemployment at this time oi the year, but also the series of meetings and conferences which were being held without seeming to load to anything. He was sure the Minister was human enough to kmuv the exact position. The unemployed, he considered, were being remarkably patient. He knew of'numbers of men whn had tramped the province and found no work. The City Council and the Citizens' Unemployment Committee had done a lot, but there were still many men who did not know which way to turn. Mr H. Worrall. secretary of ihe Trades Hall Unemployment Committee, said that the freezing works nnd harvesting were in full string, nnd the wool and grain storos were employing hundred;" of men. Hut in spite of all that men were walking the streets of Christchurch. There were exceedingly bad cases of distres in this young country and the Government should enquire into the possibility of finding n remedy of some sort. Immigration. He believed that the Government's immigration policr was responsible for the position. Numbers of men were coining out from England, nnd being thrown on the labour market. He complained that the provisions governing the nomination of immigrants were not being carried out. For instance, u woman who had been receiving charitable aid from the Hospital Board for some time, had nominated English people to come to New Zealand, and had then secured food and clotning for them from the Bonrd. . There was another case of an old-age pensioner in receipt of charitable aid, who had been allowed to nominate people. The ActingPrime Minister had said in Auckland that the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was in a position to grant relief to unemployed worklra. He had said that the whole of the State resources were behind that Board and Auckland had taken advantage of it, whereas the policy of tho Christchurch Bodrd was to give one day's work. The Board should be asked to give more adequate sustenance. Then there waß work that the Government should put in hand at once. New Zealand had room for hundreds of miles of roading, and another thing was afforestation. • Councillor P. R. Cooke, representing organised Labour, also dealt witlh the immigration question, and urged the cessation of. assisted immigration. He gave instances of particularly necessitous cases, And said that the Government. had not given tho assistance in Ghristchurelj that had been granted in other centres. Practising Cruelty. "The Public Works Department is practising cruelty." said Mr E. J. Hovard, M.P. "The Department said that it could employ 50 men if they could be procured for the work. The Labour Department therefore sent oat notic-s asking for men willing to accept country work. Fifty-six replied, and then the Public Works repudiated the whole thing and said that it knew nothing about the matter. For that the Department deserved a rap'on the knuckles." WHEN DUKE OP YORK ARRIVES. DEMONSTRATION DECIDED UPON. * f ' i On Wednesday a suggestion was put forward by the unemployed that they should make a mass demonstration in Christchurch during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. 1 At the meeting held in Victoria square yesterday morning, it was detinitely decided, on the motion of Mr H. Hargraves that, , if work is not immediately forthcoming, they will fall in fit the Christchurch Railway Station on the arrival of the Royal visitors. There are 262 men unemployed in Christchurch at present. "If «we can't walk in front, we'll walk behind," added Mr Hargraves, when proposing the resolution. About 100 men attended tho meeting which was presided over by Mr J. Lang. The speakers were Messrs E. L. Hills and H. Dunkloy, and at the conclusion of the meeting tho chajrman suid that tliere had been some discussion regarding tho work of thole two leaders. "Will you keep them as your leadcre?" he asked tne crowd. "Yes," they replied and passed a vote of confidence. In the course of remarks Mr Hills said that the position was exceedingly serious. Unless relief came soon the men would be driven into the criminal ranks, and be forced to steal to provide food for their wires and families. One man suggested that land aid property owners should forgo their rent during the period of serious- unemployment, and Air Hills replied that the Tenancy Act provided that a tenant, unable to pay his rent, could not be evicted tinless the owner wished to occupy tho house. A public protest shonld ,je made, he suid, against the contribution of money toward the expenses of the Royal visit, while unemployment was rife. "Have the various sports bodies been approached, and are the men employed on the gates by sports bodies doing two men's work? That's what we'd like to know," came from a man in the crowd. "Yes," was the reply in chorus. After the Victoria square meeting had dispersed, about a dozen of the unemployed, headed bv Mr Dunkley, visited the City Council Chambers. As the Mayor and other officials were absent in tho North Island, the deputation was received by the Chief Clerk. Mr J. F. Eamcs. Sir Dunkley said that the recent public conference on unemployment had appointed a subcommittee to find work for the men, and they desired to know what.projrress had been made. Mr Eames replied that the Minister had ans world the secretary's letter, ftating that the matter was receiving consideration. _ The body which had the matter in hand had nothing to do with* M o City Council, and he advised the deputation to approach a member of the executive. Trades Ball Sappozt > Ita Trades Hall Unemployment Committee supported the demands of the unemployed; made yesterday morning that the Government sheukl ceaee itj immigration policy. The position wa

discussed at length by tho committee) and tho following resolutions were car* ried:— "That this meeting of tho Trades Hall Unemployment Committee upon tho Government the immediate suspension of tho policy of assisted immignition, believing that such a policy contributes in n largo measure to tho present evil of unemployment, We also t:r~o that tho Government shall put into operation immediately public works to absorb the present unemployed." "That local bodies bo asked to support tho appeal to tho Government, and place all needed local work into operation at oneo, as tho posit of the unemployed lias become so serious." "That tho North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board bo urged to (live sympathetic attention to the sufferings of women and children, whose supporters are affected by unemployment." Yesterday's Registrations. Three single and ten married men leistered at the Government Labour I'ureau yesterday, tho latter haying 17 dependents. Four were placed in private employment during the day, and four reported having secured work by their own initiative. Seventy-five per cent, of the men are Tb» toiil number of unemployed in the Dominion, registered with tho Labour Department iast week, was 187 S. This week there has been n slight drop, the total number being 1849. Tho Minister's Reply. "I run us deeply interested in the position us any other member of Cabinet, and a lifelong association with Labour lias made me sympathetic," suid the Miuister in reply. < "But I do not intend to go into an intiinato reply on matters which conje under the jurisdiction of other Departments." M. Worrall, in reply to the Minis* ter's question: There is a greater percentage of married men among the unemployed, but the single men are getting desperate. The Minister: Unemployment ha» been before the Cabinet twioe a week for tho last month. Overseas immigration has been djsoussed and schemes were decided on at the Imperial Conference. Tho Empire Conference tied the Dominions down to nothing. I do not intend to make any pronouncement c:i the matter when the Prime Minister is so near the country, and will be here in a few davs. A pronouncement will be made when he returns. Referring to charitable aid, Mr MeLeod said that the Acting-Prime Minister's statement to the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board was to go ahead, and provide a fair thing, atid the Government would not see him Btuck. But, so far, comparatively small payments had been made tb the Board. The Government was paying 22s to the Board's 20s in hospital relief. i Mr H. E. Holland, M.P. (who also attended the meeting)! It is 14s 2d here. " u - The Minister continued .that £ fo* £ was being paid over'the whole of New Zealand from the Consolidated Fund, spread over different districts is different ratios. Local bodies must do their share. * . ... Speaking of afforestation, Mr MoLeod skid that the Government Conld not go in for forest plantations without the trees. What was required) w*4 young trees in preparation. The; could not go on borrowing publionaotw indiscriminately ahd get 60 per bent, or less return for it. The highly-trained forestry man could plant three. where the inexperienced man ttbiud h6t do one acre. The labour was not wilfully inefficient; but farmers could not employ inexperienced labour at high wages. "Every efficient worker in liiV district is in Work, and need not be out for five minutes.' The man coining otii from the city has difficulty in getting farm work, because he has. not the necessary efficiency/' , > "Regarding that matter of the Public Works Department, I will mfike im- : mediate enquiries," said the Mitfirtwi "Where roads opening'ftp are required, I am handing tne mAiiti over to the Department, so thftfcthe work may be done; Bverr effort fJlOtildi and is being made by tne Goverj&liiottt, to provide work." Mr Sullivan thanked' the ;:MhifiAr for receiving the deputation* ;«Utd *w» pealed that full attention bo givenvto the immigration question , £nd. thS granting of Immediate relief, 'JUiilWs the Government finds a way out' tbpjP' will be. a tremetfdons demand fbE v» dole or some such system of jrftllwn -w concluded. ' ' J' *** national councils? jrotiifr, t.' + y Believing Ui&f a great many .wodiefr. in the Community are jiot of the seriousness of the position;'tß& National Council of ißTomeii Mailed last evening to go fullyinto ilik .mention of Government assistance unemployed at anothfcr metttag'to ;W held a fortnight henofe. ' /' It A deputation from the unemployed waited on the Qounpil ytftertWjMOT noon and was received with The Council hopes to interest of women in the question. •. "NOT LOOKING FORWOBKi* MR DOWNIE REMARKS. tYBB mum* 'typdii Stttiel.) WELLINGTON* ftbruary 10.'' During the deputation io the Wr*< ernmcnt to4ay .regarding the . |Ui« tangata mine, -the question of gederal unemployment-cropped up and.led to a warm interlude betwein the Actiiiff! Prime Minister, the Hon. Mr Downife Stefrart, and Mr Fr&ter, M.P. -oq., The Minister had remarked that oilly on Tuesday iast, when passing through Ashburton, ho had been infomed tb»t farmers wcr« in oeed of lundi for Jutvesting, but could not get them. .About the same time there Had been an tuw employed demonstration in Christr church. "A runholder had also i informed him in Ihinedin that he had paid a man's fare to his place, btit th<J latter asked, for money in advance after he arrived, and then cleared Mfc to a dance 20 miles away one night, and two days afterwards had demanded his fare bock to Dunedin. H» was afraid that had been the constant experience of many farmers. Mr Eraser interjected that the incident only proved the utter incompetence of the Government to orgaxusO any remedial unemployment If workers we/re offered work in the country, and shown how they could |jet to it, they would go. The Minister's information was all socond-band. . The Minister: Oh, no I If the men will not make an effort to go into tbe country I will not help tbem. I have a great deal of evidence to prove that men are not only not looking for work, but are walking off the jobs they are already in. . Mr Fraser: Your remarks are a libel and a slander, and unworthy of t a.n*ii who is the Actbg-Prime Blinitter^