UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19086, 23 August 1927, Page 14

UNEMPLOYMENT.

" GOING ON FOR EVEE." ARE OUTSIDERS COMING IN ? ''Where are we getting to? We havt five hundred unemployed on relief works, yet the niunber of unemployed does not seem to be decreasing." TJaese remarks were made by Mr R. B. Owen at yesterday's meeting of the Unemployment Committee. Mr W. E. Lcadley added that, if they were going to provide work for all men cowing into the town they would be going' on for ever.

Some members alleged that men were coming from other centres to get work in the City because of higher wages. Others challenged this statement, holding that there might be an occasional outsider coming in and the first duty of the committee was towards the residents of the town.. The chairman (Mr J. W. JBeaniand) said he ' would not like to think that the five hundred men on relief work would be unemployed but for the activities of the committee. Mr Leadlev said it was hard to tell where they came from as tliey came into the town, got a house, and gave that as their address. The men might not ba coming from the country, but he had evidence of men being employed from Ashburton and Dunedin. Mr J. S. Barnett said it was improbable that men were leaving employment in the country for fourteen days' work in the town simply because they were earning a few shillings more. If men wore coming from other towns it.was a different question. That the City Engineer was justified in taking on outsiders if they provejl better men for such a job as reticulation was the opinion of 7 * Mr W. H. Winsor. But the committee's job was to look after the unemployed citizens of the town. Councillors 011 the committee said there was not much of that going on. as the men employed on the Council were drafted from relief works. , Mrs Herbert added that her experience at the depot proved there were a considerable number of men coining from other cities. _lt was decided that, as far as possible, only bona fide residents of Christchurch and its environs be employed.

CITIZENS' COMMITTEE MEETS. STILL MANY MEN WITHOUT WORK. The Unemployment Committee met yesterday afternoon when there were present: Messrs J. W. Beanland (chairman), E. H. Andrews, W. E. Leadley, W. H. Winsor, G. B. Hunter, E. B. Owen, J. Young, J. S. Barnett, E.Ur. Querec, H. Worrall, and the Revs. Dr. Kennedy aud P. Bevel!. A gift of £2 10s, being the proceeds of a social, was received from the Spreydon School Committee, and it was asked that the money be expended on work ill tlic playground. The letter was received and the request complied with. Mrs A.. E. Herbert reported that £63 8s Ijd had been received in gifts during the Week. "While they did not have to buy bread, meat, vegetables, elothing, or boots, groceries were costing j,a large amount —£7 per week. A considerable amount of the week 'a subscriptions- had been the result of the efforts of a bevy ; ,of ladies at the Winter Show. By the end of the present week the expenditure would reach about £6OO, while the assets' wee about £9OO. Mr Winsor presented the financial statement as follows:

He explained that, of this, £l5O was due to the Lyttelton Harbour Board for relief works. at Cforskir Bay. The sura of £l9 10s had been received as the proceeds of the jockeys' arid barmen's football match.

/ Mr B. C. Queree presented the Labour Department's report. The total unemployed on the register were 391, as against 37G for last week.-They were made up of 239 men with 666 dependents, and 152 single men. During the week 140 men were placed in employment, including those selected for relief works. Since May 26th the Citizens' Committee had assisted 1103 men with a total of 3457 dependents. Under the City. Engineer 110 men were employed as follows:—Grant's road 23, Loftus street 3, Manchester stree' 7, Birdwood' avenue 16, Irigoldsley street 4, Carnarvon street 13, Ashgrovc terrace 5, Eose strecf 14. Mr Young had 90 men under his supervision on reserves works. There were 90 working on Councilloan works, 140 on waterworks, and 12 employed on casual labour. In reply to a complaint from a factory in Eiccarton that Riccarton. men were not being helped, he had compiled ,a report which showed that of the 750 men assisted 43 were from New Brighton, 37 from Waimairi County, three from Halswell,, six from Sumner, sixteen from Eiccarton, and six from Heathcote. ' ' Mr E. H. Andrews, oil behalf of the forks' Committee, reported that of the 115 men selected f-or work, 90 had turned up, while 17 had not replied. The \committee was authorised to engage up to 120 during the coming week. • A request for two men to do a day or two's painting at Monica Park was referred to the Works Committee. WORK FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS On the motion of Mr W. P. Spencer, at a meeting of tlie Selwyn Plan- j tation Board yesterday, following on aj letter received from the R.S.A, offer-j ing a £ for £ Subsidy in the event of, the Board being able to find employment for Returned men it was decided to write the-. R.S.A. offering employ- | ment for a few men, such an offer being dependent upon the Board's finding suitable accommodation. The employment of the returned men would not cost the Board more than £SO. but with the subsidy from the Association, considerable relief would be offered. YESTERDAY'S REGISTRATIONS. Thirty-one men registered at the Unemployment Bureau up till noon yester■day. Of these, four were placed in private cniployment and one in Government service. ■ ,

£ s d Contributions to date ,1770 12 i Subsidy by the Council ... • 2000 0 0 Received account subsidy from Government 1803 0 0 £9573 12 4 Payments by the fund 5059 8 5 Payments by the Council 2031 0 O Payments out of Government subsidy v .. 865 8 6 Total 7958 17 1 Balance 1614 15 3