UNEMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 72, 18 December 1928, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT

SOME BAD CASES AT DUNEDIN

Dominion Special Service.

Dunedin, December 17.

The proverbially “Happy Christmas” will not be the lot of some families in Dunedin this year, unless some relief is provided at once to give work to hundreds of men who are unemployed. While the position at Dunedin is not so bad as it was several months ago, it is still fairly serious, the position having become worse by the discharging from the tree-planting work at the Blue Mountains a week ago of some 150 men.

Inquiry at the local Labour Department to-day showed that during the last week 98 men were registered as being out of work, this bringing tie total on the books up to date to 2:2. Of that total 110 are men with dependants who can undertake hetvy work, while 68 of those capable of heavy work are without dependints. The remainder are capable of .light work.

“The position has become so icute,” said a prominent social worker this morning, “that if something is iot done to relieve it there will be tragedies in some families. There are fam'lies with many children, a number vlth eight and nine, In which the breid-winners have had little work for sk or eight months, and had it not b<en for private relief, assistance froif various organisations, and occasional work granted by the Charitabfe Aid Board they would have been absolutely starving. While all round tie position is a little better than it war a few months ago. there are some critical and serious cases. Every single avenue of employment has been trfed by these men. Willing men are out of work and organisation has cone in contact with 150 cases which r?quire immediate work.”