MEETING OF UNEMPLOYED IN CHRISTCHURCH. (Per Press Agency.) Christchurch, 17th May.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 513, 19 May 1879, Page 2

MEETING OF UNEMPLO YE D IN CHRISTCHURCH. (Per Press Agency.) Christchurch, 17th May.

At a meeting of the Christchurch unemployed, in accordance with an advertisement calling upon unemployed to meet in front of the new Post Office this morning, about fiity persons assembled. Mr. John Lee, better known in Christchurch. as " Jaelt Lee/ 7 as. cended tho pedestal and opened tbe proceedings by addressing those present "as fellowworkmen." He said tha object of the meeting was to devise some means ot relief during the present great stagnation which existed. They ought to give everyone to understand that they intended to put their shoulders to tbe wheel and make that to their advantage which was now to their disadvantage. They ought to assert their rights as men; they had been brought out to the colony under false pretences at great personal sacrifice. (Hear, hear.) Mr Loe then proceeded to decry the Government agent? who were drawing their thousands He said that they must compel the Government to give them work. Tbe best thing they could do would be to select a number of members to get up a petition to Government, who were bound to find them employment. A man named Charles Clemens next addressed the meeting. They had been told they would get work all tbe year round, but for bis part he had got only one month's work since January. If he could have his way he would have £ir Julius Vogel strung up by the heels. (A voice : Let him die ) He was not fit to let die. The country was fit only for women. There were too many public-houses. If they earned a shilling they spent it there, if they gave the shilling to the women they spent it there too. Why, the women were the ruin of the men. (Applause. A voice : What about Chinamen?) The speaker: Let them live. They were all sent into the world to do their be3t, whether red, black, or yellow. After the speaker had concluded, about a dozen consented to act as a committee. An arrangement was made that a meeting should take place on Monday. The people ttien dispersed. The proceedings were orderly throughout.

A resident in Dunedia having an idle halfhour upon his hands, resolved to spend it in visiting a number of bakers' shops, and purchasing in each a 41b loaf. His idle curiosity prompted him further to weigh the bread. He was, of course, greatly surprised to find that not one of tbe loaves was of the nominal weight. The lightest was nine ounces, and the heaviest two ounces short of 41bs.