THE UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 257, 23 July 1908, Page 7

THE UNEMPLOYED.

TELEGRAMS FROM THE PREMIER. WORK OFFERED ON RAILWAY CON. ...... STRUcnoN. ... 1 The following telegrams from the Premier, sent yesterday to the Mayors of Christchurch and Timaru, speak for .themselves: — "His Worship, the Mayor, Christchurch — : "In reply to your telegram in connection with the unemployed in Christchurch, I have made inquiries in order to .ascertain what the position is. lam advised that the. Government Labour agoiifc in Christchurch states that notwithstanding a local inserted in yesterday morning's papers stating, that there was plenty of work offering, only seventeen men have applied, of whom only uino accepted work. Hence as tho Government is prepared to employ upon railway construction works all bona-fide applicants for work and notice to this effect lias been given, it is difficult, to understand how there can bo any willing workers, unemployed in your city. Tho work'referred to will last some months, and will therefore tide over any temporary local scarcity of employment. As tho Government is willing to put all men who are desirous'of obtaining work upon works of construction now in hand, you will recognise that the Government cannot bo called upon to give a pound for pound subsidy as you suggest. _ I may add, moreover, that such a subsidy is without precedent in such cases. —J. G. Ward." "Tho .Mayor of Timaru—

"In reply to your telegram of yesterday, I have made inquiries and am advised that the total number of men who have applied for work at the Labour De- ■ partment in Timaru during' tho last month was seventeen. - The Government is willing to put all men desirous of obtaining employment on railway construc- ■ tion works, and if they will send their names to the Labour agent arrangements will bo made accordingly.—J. G. Ward." ACTION BY CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL AND/LABOUR' BUREAU, (BY TELEGBAPH—ritESS ASSOCIATION.) . Christchurcli, July 22. After three days' fine' weatner rain set in again this morniug, -which was an unfortunate happening for many of the unemployed, who accepted .work under tho City Council. In -all, fifteen' men presented themselves at tho Council offices this morning, and were given employment. They were mostly , married men, but'some single men, .who .stated that'they were destitute, 1 were, taken on. Five married men were put on road formation work in Madras Street, St. Albans, where the neat is,being removed, and tie roadway is ueing formed by, putting clinkers from tho destructor- in tho excavation. Ono of tho men employed on this work' informed a "Truth" reporter that for tho past two years ho had been unable to get work in this city, but had had to travel round the Dominion to ; get work. Tho remainder of tho men who applied at-' the City Council: were found work at the City Council's road metal yard, on Molesworth Avenue, stacking up road scrapings.' It is hoped to be ablo to put three or four men on wort; on the river banks levelling and triiuming thnm where such work is necessary. •

At tho Labour Bureau up to noon seventeen men had been booked for tho Midland Railway construction works, and four had accepted work on the West. Coast, ant!'will leavo by to-morrow morning's, train for Broken River. It is stated that one man who accepted > work to-day put up a record for tho briefness of tho timo that he stayed on the job. For some cause not known ho stopped work an. hour after ho had started. As ho is alleged to havo boon given an order last niglit for tea, bed, and breakfast, it is Burmiscd that .unless there worn some pccidiaj* circumstances connected with his caso, ho should • have been fit and ablo to put' in a better day's work than he did. Tho City Council do not intend to employ any men who havo boon offered work at tho Labour Bu:naii and havo declined to take it. Exceptions will bo made when the circumstances exist, which warrant a departure from tho- ruin, such as c.-is«s wliero o man has sickncss in hia fawit*. WARNING TO' EMIGRANTS. (BT TELSQBAM—rRESS ASSOCIATION.) I Chrlstchurch, July 22. Another unemployed mooting was held tin's aftornoon, when tho following resolution was carried unanimously: —That this meeting of unemployed of Christchurch will'".forwird without delay, reports of tho unemployed meetings bowg held throughout tho Dominion to tho prossof Groat Britain, so that tiro intending emigrants can seo for themselves that thoro 13 no moro labour in tho Dominion than can bo absorbed, and to strongly advi*o them not to bo misled by glowing repot t* of J'God's Own • Coahtqr.'i '.