NEW MEASURES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19202, 7 January 1928, Page 15

NEW MEASURES.

RELIEVING UNEMPLOY-

MENT.

CITY COUNCIL TO ACT

At midday yesterday about 100 unemployed crowded into the public gallery of the City Council Chamber and occupied the chairs of the City Fathers and when the Deputy-Mayor, Cr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., arrived, a deputation laid before him a request for relief work. With the Deputy-Mayor were the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Seville), and the City Engineer (Mr A. R. Gplbraith). Mr D. Turnbull, the first speaker declared there were 030 unemployed in Chnstchurch, and they could not set work anywhere. "We thought it was up to the City Council to give us -i week's work," he said. In winter there would be over 2000 unemployed Mr \V. Wizard said he had compiled the figures, when Cr. Sullivan asked whether they were authentic. "No work cari be got at the Labour Bureau," said Mr Turnbull, "and wo have no firing, and hardly any clothes on our backs." A week's work." such as had been given by the Council before Christmas, could not keep them for a year. Men had been put off by the Tramway Eoard, and from the " City Council waterworks. Mr Turnbull suggested that from 100 to 120 men be given a week's work by the Council. He said private employers were not engaging, but discharging men, and replacing them with boys. A boatload of immigrants had arrived in Lyttelton tiiat, morning, and the majority had gone straight to the unemployment bureau. Seventy-five of the men with him belonged to Christchuieh—he could not vouch for the other.;.

Tramway Board's Action. Mr W. Wizard said the Tramway Board had put off over SO men. Some had been paid off without notice. Ho had done half- a day's work without any food. "It was a crying shame for the Hospital Board to offer us 10s for charity," he said. "That won't buy us tiring." Ho said men were coming back from Lake Coleridge, and they were actually in debt. As the position stood, the men with him could be arrested as rogues and vagabonds, as they had nothing in their pockets. Personally lie was absolutely fed up with searching for work. At this point a man named Hartley rose in the gallery, and shouted loudly at the speakers. He was urged to sit down, but declined, and some of the others escorted him to the door. All the way down the stairs he continued giving his views in a strident voice. Mr J. Pierson said the problem was a national one, and should be gone into by members of Parliament.- The speaker said he felt faint after his efforts in putting out the interrupter. "He flew at me," he said. When the Deputy-Mayor asked those who were Christchurch men to stand up, only a few remained seated. About the same majority signified in a similar manner that they were married.

Mr Sullivan said he did not intend to give the men a lecture, as though they tad done some wrong. He knew what it was to be out of work for months, and to search for it from dawn to dark. He knew exactly how much value could be attached to statements that men could get work if they were looking for it, in a situation like this. The problem was a tremendous one, and was hitting every country. In Melbourne there were fully 15,000 men out of work at present. It did not matter what the Government was, every country was afflicted with unemployment. Nobody seemed to be able to indicate the fundamental reason for it. The fact that unemployment was world-wide would not put food in their cupboards or pay their rent. The problem was a tremendous one for public men. There was plenty' of work to do, if the Council had the money. No Council had done more than the City Council of Christchurch.

£25,000 Loan. Not all of the £25,000 unemployment loan had been expended, and the Council had been handicapped by an insuiHcieni supply of metal. Some of the roads which were to be put in order were boundary roads, and the other local bodies affected had not been able to come up to the scratch. After consultation with Mr A. E. Galbraith (City Engineer), and the Public Works Department, it had been decided to expend £3IOO set aside for the Canal reserve, and £9OO for Lincoln road, on work in Worcester and Cashel streets, and Fitzgerald avenue. This had been approved " y the Department. It would improve the position to some little extent to increase the number of men on unemployment loan works. The Council had made arrangements for a slight increase in the amount of metal to bo supplied, by an arrangement with one of the private quarries. It had also decided to make asphalt slabs itself, and would start the work immediately. Men in the Council's employ who had some skill in this direction would be transferred to the work, making room for a limited number of casuals. Work would have to be alternated, and the men employed under the unemployment loan would not be able to get continuous work as in the past. "It is proposed to give two or three days' work at a time, and spread it over as many as possible," said the De P Mayor. "From 150 to **J men will be found work alternately, while the money is available." Dozens of men were calling at his home in their quest for/™*. Tramway Board had added to the difficulties of providing a solution. Ifte City Council was ready to go on with certain work in Oxford terrace, on which £3OOO would be expended but the Board had decided to call tenders for relaying the tracks. He was sorry it had done so. About 40 men had been discharged by the Board, he understood, but if it had gone on with its ordinary methods it would have been able to retain them and the Council would have been able to employ an additional number-perhaps twenty.

Closed Down. Work at Lake Coleridge had been temporarily stopped ami men were being discharged, adding to the City s difficulties On the previous day he had telegraphed to the Prime Minister, Saining the position in Christchurch,and urging him to the House it had been strongly urged on the Government that it should not allow the position to drift in the re-Ac-iirinces had been given that Mr Coates bad replied to his telegram: '"I am u ■ onnniries made immediately. h A a ?L n Id been sent to the A telegram '.ad Hon 1 A iinlfed n« follows: <I nm wiring Wellington "nstructing the Departr?n see what it can do to help r nos tion immediately I shall bo inVellineton myselt next week." V- Sullivan said he had sent a secj I-Wrani to the Ministers giving iTL the statement of the unemployed hat there were 600 men out of ed u "ithoiirh he did not think Ti? r ' .«'nracli hone in the situation, STbB-ked the Town Clerk to tele- „„, t i,e Prime Minister, askintr him g f Vw the Government would, in T - h „F the CitVs efforts in-providing Xfd art from its preeed"ent. and r { \ stni"ht-out grant to the Coun-

cil for work at Bottle Lake reserve. The Council had spent practically all its money in the reserves vote. If the Government consented, work would be put in hand at once at .the reserve. What would be done would not much more than touch the fringe of the problem. "Still, we are doing all that lies in our power," said Cr. Sullivan. "Unless the Government aets, ( the situation is goin 2 to be very bad." The Council had~l7o men employed in ad ' dition to its ordinary staff, and the whole of the money keeping tliem in work would be exhausted in two and a half or three months. There wouio be scaroelv a penny left in any of the loan accounts which could be. « sed^ r the relief of unemployment. The Government's attention would be drawn to tho position, which was one of acute urgency.

Payment for Relief Work. llr Pierson: No nine bob a day 'stunt, though. "We tried all we could humanly do to see that Arbitration Court and Public Works wages would be paid, but the Government decided that 9s and l'Js should stand," said Cr. Sullivan. He hoped all men out of work would register with the Labour Department. At this point, the man who had created a disturbance was seen to enter the gallery and speak to one of the others. He quickly left, however, when a policeman's shako appeared round the doorway. Cr. Sullivan was applauded when he concluded his remarks. Mr Pierson said the Council could not go on getting £20,000 loans. "W' e can't class your Council as a charitable aid institution," he said. ''The M.P.'s should go to Wellington and urge the Government to do something." Another man said Christcliurdi was helping the unemployed of other towns.

Cr. Sullivan said ho hoped employers of labour would make some sacrifice, and try to increase the amount of work available. In answer to a question, lie said the Government wi's not r.ow subsidising immigration. If another boatload of immigrants had arrived, it must have been under some previous arrangement. Mr Pierson moved that the Canterbury members of Parliament be asked to meet, and brine the matter to the attention of tho Cabinet.

A voice: Can tho Hospital Board legally force us to do los 4d worth of work for I2s 6d worth of goods? Cannot it be forced to pay us in coin? Cr. Sullivan: It is not in mv province.

"Is il; legal?" persisted the questioner, but Cr. Sullivan did not reply. Tito motion was carried unanimously. Tlio Deputy-Mayor, replying to a question, said it was almost criminal to entice people hero from the Old Country when the Dominion was unable to find tlipm work. Cr. Sullivan was accorded a vote of thanks by acclamation.

Representation Wanted. Members of the unemployed consider that the system of providing relief work would be facilitated and more justice done in the division of the work available if two of their number were given seats on the Relief Committee. This was the tenor of a statement of members of their committee made to a Press reporter Inst evening. They claimed that at present some of the men were not getting a fair deal. At present there was only a certain amount of work available, yet some got nine weeks' work and others only one. Union members were also getting preference over non-unionists. It was not proposed to pay the men while they were members of the Belief Committee nor that their positions should be permanent. When their turn came to work they would go to it, and two others would take their places. It is intended to make an application for representation through the Alliance of Labour.

The committee of genuine unemployed, consisting of twelve, have appointed Mr A. Martini as secretarytreasurer of the e.ommittee, and Mr J. Holloway as chairman of the unemployed meetings in Victoria square.

Yesterday 23 married men and 15 single men registered with the Labour Department, and one was placed. The Loans Board has consented to the transfer of works under the unemployment loan sought by the City Council.

Last evening Cr. Sullivan broadcasted an appeal for funds for the families of men out of work from Station 3YA.