THE WORK PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 557, 12 July 1909, Page 6

THE WORK PROBLEM.

VICTORIA COLLEGE.

FORTY MEN TO START TO-MORROW.

THREE HUNDRED NEEDY,

'An opon-arr conforenoo wa3 held on tho Victoria Collego grounds on Saturday afternoon, when members of tho Collego Council End representatives of the Citizens' Relief Committee met Messrs. W. H. Morton (City Engineer)' and one of his heutonants, ( Mr. Patterson. The College Council was rcpre,£ented by the Rev. W. A. Evans, Messrs ,Von Haast, 'Watson, Fleming, Quick, 8011, and Powles, the Hon. J. E. Jcnkinson and iMr. Geo Willis represented tho Citizens' Committee;'and tho Hon'. C. M. Luko waa present on behalf of the Hospital Trustees. ; » No Schamo of ,Work Available. / W&en-Jho delegates came to talk matters ■over aftorinspecting tho northern ond' of the College ground, it appeared' that no definite plan of campaign had been mapped out/ so the combined forces made a tour of lnspcc"tion, various suggestions being thrown out by the way. "After several vaguo propositions had been put' forward by different members of the College Council, the Hon. 'J. E. 1 Jenkinson said he thought tho collego i was placing Mr Morton in a somewhat diifi"cult position. He (tho City t Engineer) had been asked by the Mayor to meet the dele- ' gates and see how matters stood. As a rcfpresontativo of the Citizens' Committee, Mr. Jenkinson was of opinion that tho college should employ an architect or an engineer to ' 6eo exactly what was to bo done, and when they had decided on a coutso of action, they might gob Mr. Morton to carry the work out Ho thought it hardly fair that tho collego should ask Mr. Morton to decide what ■work the College Council should do. As he understood the position, the Citizens' Committee was under tho impression that the had some definite plans. ; It was pointed out that tho council was practically unanimous on the question that the hummocks through which the path from the main entranco drive passes should be ' , removed, and the spoil used t<s fill up the 'hole in the Hospital Trustees' ground across tho road. "By tho time tho hummocks aro .removed," remarked one of tho council, "we will'know what'to do." \ Mr. Morton's^Solutlon. This suggestion did not appeal to Mr (Morton. It reminded him of the way r a lady i would build a houso. He wanted to know exactly what had to be done before tho work was commenced. Wh.cn Mr Morton had loan all'over the ground, he threw out (Several suggestions which brought matters to a head. In the first place, tho council appeared to want the triangular portion of the ground on tho northern side of the college facing the Kolbumo tram-line made proof / the ndl against the gymnasium, a scheme for altering the lino of the prosent drive up from the street, bringing it along the eastern or town side boundary, instead of straight up tho middle of the grounds as at (.present. Another'work of an urgent nature ■■was, he considered, tho removal of a portion 'of the hill against tho gymnasium, as a ' quantity of earth and rook having recently slipped down at one corner, where tho spoil was already window-high. There would not 1 be a great deal of work here, simply enough for Bafety. After a short discussion on the proposals, it was decided to adopt the plan recommended by Mr. Morton, in rererenco to the drive, and, if funds allowed, to have some of the hill--7 side removed from the Tear of the gymnasium. Authority was given for the necessary steps to bo taken to insure against accident the workers who will be employed,on tho grounds. 'Messrs. Von Haast" and Watson were ap- ( pointed a sub-committee to confer with Mr. ■ Morton as to any details - 1 Conditions of Employment. Mr. Morton wished to know on what conitutions tho men were to be employed, to which Mr. Jenkinson replied that all-that ' ' had been decided at present was that tho workers put on in the first place weio to re- . ceive Bs. a day, and were to be taken on for a week, when another gang would be em- : ployed. Tho City Engineer intimated that he could start 40 men on tho work on Tuesday , morning, and he suggested that a ballot should be taken for tho first batch, as this : ' would guard against any suggestion of favouritism in the selection of the workers. Many had applied, but few could be chosen. )A few moro men would be engaged later, but not until tho work opened out. I Mr. Willis stated that he had some very urgent "cases on his list, and said he could ■' supply the names of 25 of these. It was decided that the men required after the urgent cases had been, dealt with should ballot for ifche poslions. Pressed by Mr. Willis as to whether the number could not be increased ~ _ /beyond forty to start with, the City Engi- S Deer remarked that forty was the maximum number'that could be accommodated on the ' mack. H Further Works Needed. . ' It will be seen from tho, foregoing that ithe Victoria Collego works will not bo anything like sufficient to meet the demand for (work, confined ,as the labour is to tho north«rn end of the ground, and the portion of tho (bill to be removed at the 'rear of the gym,i nasiumj and consequently the committee will have to decido on further worts.. A' rough estimate of the cost of tho college, norks is £600, and the work cannot last many weeks. The new drive sketched by Mr. Morton will give an excellent approach to the college, and will lead along the eastern bank of the . grounds to connect with the prosent drive, which,comes part of the way down this side. • The whole of'the western side will thus be left clear for any purposo the council may decide'to use it—perhaps for beautifying, the surroundings /of tho collego at present and for extension purposes later. The spoil from the excavation works will, for a start bo tipped into a hollow owned by tho Hospital Trustees,,and when this is filled tho balance , will be tipped into the gully at tho southern , i end of Kelbumo Park. The men will be paid - every Saturday on' a time-sheet submitted \ ,by the City Engineer, who has been authorised'to do everything necessary to start the '. work. A few' men will bo engaged to-day getting things ready for tho goneral start. Votes of thanks were passed by the College Council to Messrs.' Morton and Patterson, also to the Hon. J. E. Jenkinson and Mr. Willis for the interest thoy had taken in,the matter. , •

A p.remher>s appeal,

■ SERMON BY REV. J J. NORTH The sermon preached by the Rev. J. J North at the Vivian Street Baptist Church last night was an appeal for help for those in distress The parable of tho Good Samaritan, which was tho starting point of tho sermon, was described by Mr North as a lightning sketch of the Tight way to treat the question of human heed and human poverty. If society would follow the teaching there given, its bleeding wounds would bo stanched, and the' golden year would bo brought near. For tho first timo for many years, tho progress, and prosperity of this country }iad been arrested and the labour market was dislocated. There was some hopeless poverty in Wellington, some that nevor got its head up and never oxpectod to. There was also a very great deal of hidden poverty; there were many men were ashamed to show their want There was many a man whose singlet and shirts were in rags, thotfgh they wore a moderately decent coat and a celluloid collar There were many minor tragedies, petty economies, and stealthy visits to the shop with the three golden balls There was also some loud-voiced povcity, 'bawling of tho rights of man. and suggesting what made an Englishman shiver dov-n his back —revolution 'Hie poverty amongst us was a protest nga nst crooked customs and evils that were vor\ J greit, and thero ought not to be any povertv m a comitiy like this, nhich could I'jow fond and clothing enough for 20 or 30 tiires its present population ( A great deal of the fitncnt trouble was caused by tho , bid construction of the social system Men who worked hard with their hands had often no possibility of rising to independence, wkk> men of much lees worth/lived in pakoeg.

Tho cure of social ills lay along tho lines of personal seimoo to ono'a follow man. A collection amounting to about £20. which will bo handed to tho citizens' fund for tho relief of tho unemployed, wns taken up as the congrogation laft tho church. UNION DONATIONS. At tho monthly mooting of tho Board of Management of tho Wellington Typographical Union hold on Saturday evening tho sum of £3 was votod to tho unemployed loliof fund, and a resolution wns carried rccommonding tho half-yearly meeting of membors to make a furthor- donation or £7, making tho tot.il donated £10 Tho rules of the 1 union precluded the Board of Managomont from oxpending raoro than £3; this accounts for tho figure in tho board's recommendation. It may bo montioncd that tho union has payl out something liko £70 unemployed allowances to its own members up to tho 1 present date. HOTELKEEPERS ASSISTING. As a result of tho suggestion thrown out at last Friday's mooting of tlie Esocutivo Committee, tho secretary, Mr. Geo. Willis, called on over twenty hotelkocpors on Saturday, and in overy caso oxoept one tho licensees expTosscd willingness to assist tho fund by placing collection boxes in tho bar. List of applicants. The list of applications for work is acrcasing every day, but tho rush is now over, and Mr. Willis has had an opportunity of studying the various cases, so that ho will be in a position to act immediately a batch of men will bo required to start work. Tho applications rceeirodup to Saturday morning totalled just oh 300. THE SUBSCRIPTION LIST. Tho amount of money to tho credit of tho Relief Fund is increasing steadily, tho sum banked up to Saturday being £485, in addition to which the secretary of tho committeo still has about £20 cash in hand, whilst several of the lists which have been distributed have filled v up fairly well, and havo still >to be handed m. With the money actually m tho hands of tho committee, plus the Government subsidy, about £1000 is in sight. Tho latest donations bto. — Wright and Carman ... .„ ...£& 0 0 Lawrence Watkins w.. — ... 1 0 0 2 K's ... - i... 010 0 J. D. "... .- ~ 2 0 0/ Per "Evening Post" ... _. ..: 59 U 6 .The following amounts have : been received at The Dominion Office s— ' » Sympathiser ... ._ 22 0 "Otaki" - .- ... ... 1 0 0 Anonymous — ... 5 0 0 IN CHRISTCHURCH. A REFUSED PERMIT INCIDENT. (By Telegraph.—Proßs Association) / Christchurch, July 10. At tho Trades Hall to-day it was reported that there had been few callers. It is stated that so far the applications received for workers would havo been ramie in the ordinary course of events to the men themselves. The required work tO T bo done was necessary, and would havo been'done if there were no unemployed difficulty; tho labour/would have been procured in the ordinary way. There had been no wor,k offered of a character out of the ordinary for "the purposo of relieving the unemployed. The latest posted list at tho City Council offices has had a number of names added to it, bringing the total up to 49. Out of these 19 havo work offered them. Mr. W. Mmson, who was chairman of the Canterbury Conciliation Board, and who holds that position till Ins term of office expires, was waited upon recently by an unemployed bootmaker who had had two or three days' work from the City Council, but who was found unable to corn the full rate of wages and was asked to get a permit. Tho union declined to givo him a permit, and ho applied to Mr. Mmson for "one, at the same time telling Mr Minson that lie had a wife and five children, all the children being ill with measles, Mr. Minson had intended considering the man's application to-day, but in the meantime tho Crty Council -authorities, on learning man's necessitous condition, havo taken him on at the full rate, thus getting over tho difficulty created by tho man's inability to get a permit. A Union's Subsidy. {By Telegraph.—Pmsb Association.) Christchurch, July 10. The Painters', Union havo offered to tho City Council a subsidy of £1 for £1 up to £52 for paintmg work put in hand by the council during the present period of slackness, on condition that unemployed unionists get preference of employment. This subsidy is m addition to a previous subsidy granted by the union; '

S*>LIT IN ORGANISED LABOUR,

•raADES,:roiiNciL■ "TOO' political.!': V ' A TJNTTED ''FIGHTING PAETY!''' '''•',- '■'.'',- ! By ■':'■,':';' ''■.?} ';//, V"" Y:,■;t" ; Christchurch,!'Ju]y, i • .';'■■' A'serious division,,in the'rank's ,of .organised labour'-in "Canterbury'; is'tbreatenedNconee-„ qtient-upon the determination, of .-several union'a,: (amongst thom. the Amalgamated i Society ,of, Carpenters and Joiners; the ";■' Coachmakers' - Union;,'; :Bricklaycrs' : Union, and Hotel,'. Club; v and Restaurant Employees' TJnion) to'secede from the Canterbury Trades and' Labour Council.' The reason for this action on the part of the unions mentioned is ,:tlhat .the; council, instead of "• dealing at ;'its meetings .with purely unionist matters, tically' devotes '.the whole. time ■ to - the,'discus-' sioh/of general politics; \ It is contended'that the'.icouncil' was never intended' to ''become'a, political 'machine,' aridite rules-are;oited in 1 support of this contention; , It is' stated Ithat. political feeling hasbecome so strong, that *it has dominated ;nearly 'everything that' the council h'as done lately.;• Others state that thei council ismeTcly a political..and, Socialist, organisation.'-.;'■'•'.-'■.•;'.'■,' ■;'. ■•.,'''.■/ ■members [ of the; council,* in ori■ticisihg these' statements,' : point; out* that the' Trades', and'Labbhr: Councils of the Dominion 'an; active ;part - in. the poll tical campaign ■;df JB9o;''wlicn.;tne Liberals,returned, to power, ahd'.'that'the statement .that the introduction of; politics is a'ne.w feature is disproved by. history and'the'records of the councils. Mem'bers of the council state that,tho opposition of a section of the'unions to the council is due to.the fact that some of jthe delegates are unco'mprbpiisiig . -supporters•of the Government,-, whilst:other delegates" wish-to see 'the council itself.make progress. Whenever-the. Government is, criticised^'by progressive' dele;goteSj I; the Government Supporters, by subterfuge .and '.other' means,-"attempt to discredit tho efforts made to:effect progress. ' It .is 'pointed lout -further that' the bootmakers' .Union—-the oldest union in Canterbury—recognises', the, necessity, for the council discussing political questions. ■: ; It is' .apparent from alcircular that has been forwarded to'all the unions in the' Dominion ,th'at;;.t^.fi^hterb'ury'.Trades Council is at-:tempting;-.to>form-; a New Zealand.;■ Labour Party,'-and to further'that end proposes to establish'.'a'.'Labqur.newspaper., Regarding the newspaper," the circular, says:'—; ,''Tho: trades unionists and progressive- people generally :.are , of : .;opißi6ji that \they are riot getting.fai'rvtreatment.'at the hands?of the public-press '.^t.the present juncture. Therefore we ; ask 'you to' assist inHhe establish-: mont of a true Labour paper. Our object is to establish -tho H fplli>wing:—(l) Nationalisation of monopolies:; (3)the initiative anoS referendum, and.'the power of recall of all public officials; (3)';fre6.'education fromthe .primary) sphbols to tho.„university. "We are;prepared to'present 'to tho people a fighting policy of, organised -trades ; unionism'as agreed to by conference, and our work,now is to establish a' Labour papen which is.pledgod to carry, out the above, andthus better thelot of the people .of New Zealand." ;RAJLWAY WORK. V (By'Telegraph.—Press Association.) '' ~"'" ' Dune'dln, July 10. -: : Mr. -J;'.'F. Arnold, M;P.; has received a reply' from 1 : the Minister for' Labour- in ■connection '\vith.:.tho.;unemployed problem; Mr. Millar says that he is making -inquiries, to „eea/if. ms%.men can.bo pat ojijq : thoJioflv

giel railway duplication works, but ho can only go as far as conditions'will permit. If crura men are put on, it would only be with the object of getting over the next sis or Bovon weeks. The railway deviation work is not hkoly to be ready in time to be of any use to tho present unemployed. "CREAT DISTRESS." (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) . Duncdln, July 10. Tho Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., and Mr. Arnold, M.P., havo 'telegraphed to the Hon. Mr. Millar, 6tating that an unemployed meeting horo yesterday showed, that' great distress existed among all claascs'of workers, and urging tho Minister'to'put in hand additional work immediately. VARIOUS RELIEFS. |Hy Tolegrajih.—Proas Association.). Naplori July 10. Pivo raarriod labourers woroscnt by the Labour Dbpnttmont to tho Giaborno railway works last night, Every effort is being made to copo with actual casos of distress, and tho citizens' fund to provido supplioa of food is bomg well'supported.' The Minister for Public Works, has telegraphed instructing tho lowest tender for.' painting tho 'courthouse, to be accepted' immediately, to render aid to the unemployed painters: NOTES. ■; Acting on thoiiiatruolioiis ' of itbo Bubcommittoo nppomted. [or.'Oio purpose by tho dtiroiis' Relief Committee, 'Mr./ W. M'Langhlin is.'making tmanKomonts fora contort m aid of tho fund.' Ho has already approached a number of 'tho loading vocalists and instrumentalists of Wellington, and his appeal hns mot with a rondy and gratifying response Tho concert will bo hold ,in tho Town Hall, ami will bo pf.a popular charactor.. Tlio date is not yot fixed. Tho Sooioty of St: Viricont do Paul, which was established in Wellington about two years, ago for tho. purpose of relieving; distress, is activoly working for tho relief of those buffering hardships through tho lack of employment. .Special appdais on'its behalf were made yesterday in > all the Roman Catholic churches of tho city, and collections wero taken up. ' *.. Th» unemployment committee has .' pick and shbvol work 'available this morning- for a limited number, of men.. Applicants who have deponclents ,to support should call at tho office of' tho secretary (Mi-;-6..Willis), in Johnston Street! •