TRADE AND LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 555, 9 July 1909, Page 2

TRADE AND LABOUR.

TWO PICTURES. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, July 7. TTio opinion expressed by tbo Minister for Railways at Christchurch tho other day that "finance is.improving and is on the upward grado" was endorsed by the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (Mr. B. Kent). "I think that tho general tendency,"ho said, "is undoubtedly in the direction of improvement. Thoro is, generally Speaking, a better tone in trade right through. ■ The winter is passing away better than I anticipated it would, and I think that the optimistic tone showed by tho'Minister is quite warranted." .' ■.-.■'.-. " Mr. R. Cameron, manager of the Auckland Savings Bank, who was also seen on tho subject, said that as far as ho could judgo the financial position in Auckland was absolutely sound. As showing how this applied to the working man ho said: ''Our deposits are .not only keeping np but are increasing, and there is a great amount of; money in circulation. This part of the country, from occasional visits 1 have made into the outer districts, has never boon in such a state of prosperity before, and this is now being reflected in the town." Asked to assign a reason for the increased prosperity- in the country districts, Mr. Cameron- said he attributed it .mainly to tho rapid growth of the dairying industry and the splendid season which those engaged in it had had, The working men in the city, he added, were also spending money more freely than hitherto, several of the largo retail establishments having done excellent business lately. . ; UNION SECRETARIES INTERVIEWED. In the course of some interviews, a reporter gathered from several trade union secretaries that the acute state of ,the labour market has not yet changed for the better. Mr. Long, secretary of the Hotel aad' Restaurant Employees' Union, said thoro were 52 aiaines on the employment book last week as being out of work,.and the number had not lessened. Ton men- had come in that morning from Ohinomuri, arid the position, was becoming more acute owing towie fact that 28, hotehj.had-been closed in Ohinemuri, Eden, Auckland, Parnell, and Manukau. . , Mr. Banfield,' secretary of the Carpenters' and Joiners': Union,' gave a similarly .': disjcouragihg account of the present condition of tho; labour market. "If you simply say that trade'. is in a . doplorable state you' have'summed it up in a nutshell." With reference to Mr. Millar's scheme of insurance against unemployment, Mr. Banfield asked where was the worker to. get the 6d. from? ,Ho had to nay. away suincient money at present. The idea was .right enough; arid-. Mr. : Millar meant well, but the real solution of the problem was to open up the land. -Mr. A. Rosser spoko favourably of the idea of providing by insurance against unemployment. If it could be worked in Germany onthe lower wages received, Mr. Rosser did not see why it could not bo' worked in Now Zealand. There 'was this to be said, however, - thai in Gormany the people were not so muchon. the move as they,, wero-here, and, that would have to be taken into account. "The scheme is a very good one," ho said, "as to principle, arid 'Parliament will have to make out the details. There ought £o be something dono, because, tho distress is very acute just now."/ . : - ' ;•'"■■ ':.;,: '■:'.-'•.-■ Spoaking of tho distress and the number of men'out of work, Mr. Rosser saidithat a man came to him last week' who had a wife and children, .stating that ho,had sold his, homo little by little; and now. had- a back, room in the slums. He had been'out of worksince April, and had'got hone yet. That: was only one or niany,cases.that came under his notice. ''Tho Government are to blame," said Mr. Rosser, "for the scheme they have been pursuing for the last couple of years."'■;. - f .. ~'';j/ . -.