THE UNEMPLOYED'

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 8

THE UNEMPLOYED'

POSITION* AT CIIEISTCHUECH. - , (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS -ASSOCIATION.) .. . Christohurch, July 25. Inquiries' made at r the Labour Bureau : t-> : ' lay went to show that all who require work' ■Y- ;an bo placed;on..the'.railway;construction at .' Broken River,. whilo the : City Engineer this ;. morning -. had • ■ : no. V applications^: from.', really* necessitous cases. ■ ,v, AT ASHBURTON. Ashburton, July 25. ' It, is: stated .-that,. there are. iforty ; .unem-. ployed in Ashburton, but at a, meeting called . by one, of. their number for this afternoon; 011 tho main,-street, which the Mayor -and .;'about:,3oo citizens,:attended; . not, one, spokej 1 or., responded to tho Mayor's ; invitation to' air their grievances ' and 'ba helped..' ■ Later, 'however, about,lß men .appeared, at tho Council-Chambers and interviewed tho Mayor, who took thoir,: names ; and occupations. Thfiso : include : farm : labourers, general labourers, /.freezing work • employees, v and flax-mill .and grain-store'hands, eight 'of them being married. •; '■ Mr.. Davis .promised to 'do,,his utmost for,; . 1 the men. and dispatched the,-following : tele- ) • gram 'to:tho': : Premier : meeting- of- unem- : ployed was held hero this, afternoon,', and a : ' number .of men who submitted jtheir'.nam'e.s - ', are willing to ;.take 'work on .any."Govern-- ■ mont .works. , Can you find such employment?" COMPLAINT IN THE NORTH. ' (DT TELEGCAPir.—STEOIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland, July. 25. . . Tho unemployed held another meeting ,at Iho Grey .statuo'ycsbcrday, when dissatisfac- • : (ion was expressed at the inaction of tho Government with regard to , the -.promised employment of men on tho construction of branch railway works iii ' the North., ; , Oue man who v : claims. to ' be • an ' experienced navvy said, subsequently that it was.-quite-impossible for a man in the most favourable' circumstahces"to .make, nioro ;,than;.6s. 'or ;75.; ■ a day'" on the ; Whangarei- .extension line.' Even at'that .rato'he could not get'' iii a" ;• full week. Ho had just returned from there '- and had found .the,, conditions of; work,:very' bad. , This'worker'; expressed' the opinion that- . the co-operative .principle was working v.ery '.; badly, , as; when it was found..that, tho' men" , were , making good, : money ' taking :out.;acutting, tho 'officials in chargo, cut.down tho contract'price on the next occasion. , Apropos of which . the District, Railway . Engineer (Mr. M'lntosh) states, that lie will ; . shortly have"; work for a certain number of, .... carpenters.'. Alterations-are'in .progress ,at ; the Taumarunui 'railway station, ..'and.; it- is probablo that some' building will also'bo 're-, "..-quired ..to; bo erected, there... In,.any. jcase, :•there; will', bo' employment'for carpenters "in' ' several; districts ;,up tho line .' betwe'en hero and Taumariiriui in the buildingVof cottages; etc.' : '■ : ;',V/..'- . --v.-'J