THE "LOAFER" PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 636, 13 October 1909, Page 7

THE "LOAFER" PROBLEM.

.;, ' ■'_,::'-:,-■■. .TRUSTEES I '":'C, /. >.BiV- :!nr * ? ,tyw!)?r- of. able-bodied heads of families applying, tp the Be'novo enf ! Sees . W }\* .secretary of .tip; nstitufion, who reThis \vas. quite a n extraordinary-.-.number■ fdr - h - 6 * B>P' - qf ' :tpe, year, whilst it mighfc be tniq that,none of th«V^!M. excuse-for> pg , n? ; a i, q ut i n idleness, -SincTt •yrtur notorious that the wharf labour mnrißt ■s 0 ready; overstocked, saii.Mr.aVuebridgV I is ftlmost impp S3 ,ble. to avoid a leaping toward :,the-latter'vipw,i .As;,thero is.po.way pf ascer, montsmade by...applicants,, and as the position is becoming more serious weekly,' Mr. ■ True, bridge suggested to. the board, thai'it .was time some., .test was applied-not an isolated test but a standing, lesson that the bread provided to.the ratepayers!.mo.ioy may'not bo eaten .in ■Idleness. Ivo. honest,, able-bodied man, 'con. tended-.tha seoretary, woub} ,bq other-than willmi; .and.'.even anxious.'to perform whatever might be required.' as. a return for assistance amino relief cught to be offered to "loafers" or. wasters .without Epme attendant condition Which -would ensure the, sacrifice pf some effort' pr.Jncpnyenjence. Mr. Tnieb'rjdge therefore siicgcsted.rtho desirability o(, formulating "a «vs-' tematio procei pre. which; might apply auto--matically. tp; too above eases, .find he thought this ,might,be, done by'the' adoption' of a reso, (ntipn to the effect that in future any and all grants of relief to, families", tho bead of'whioh '5 an able-bodied man, shall bp contingent" on web head performing;-labour/' 'at" 'the Ohiro' •tlome.equivalent in valuo to the relief granted. Later in the meeting the tnistees'depjded to put,the suggestions of the secretary into" effect in one cas?.' - ;■ •■' .

The deolsioi) of the' American Tobacco' Company,: which.-controls fully 90 per' cent. of. thq tohaooo trade, to advapco • ifs ■ prices, consefluent nppn. the increased cost pf lea.f, pnqking material, anl labour, seems Ijkely" jp time to somewhat ; seriously affect thp - consumer (says the "Qtagb Daily Times"). "Hitherto dark Havelopk. (ens? , lots) was sold at is. - 9d". per.lh. plus ?s.6d,(luty, and' at Is. Jud., pins Js Bd. diity, fpr. box lots, while (hi dw,pn:d price- for small lots was ss. 51d. per lb, : The price, for arpmatic Havelock.! (onpe' Jots/'™ ls,Hld, i per!b.,p!us9s.6<l.duty,Bndfor bpx lots 33, Id., plus 3s, 6d, duty, while small nuantlties ivere ohargod. fpr at the pf ss, Od, tier lb. duty paid. In, accordance with r decision'of the American.'Tobacco Company these prices have been advanced to the extent q vl'j P or 'ft. "'!, mn i for d! "" k Hnvelopk. ?"V 3 -' n S. sr -■•,?,'! r ««P d - fp»" nromatip. Have, '?* -Tho. jetajlera are' at. rirosent '. paying these advanced prices, hut Vhihvthft consumer has .:ia .yet .-not been .called.' uppn .tq -.tahi his share, in thp rjse, it j 5 honpd' to come, Wi:V.j::Tet«l»,remarked, to;a "Tjm'.s" rfponer, if'tfte actual pric«B are pot advanced the npsitipp as between-the company and the retailer and the retailer and the consumer will be balanced by. the majinfßctlirers making more, plugs to the pound than formerly, which \?UI mean thpt tljo consumer vill get jess fpr his mpney, than he does now. Nothing has yet been announced as to thp company's intentions in'regard to the prices of other tpbqccps. •