THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 112, 13 May 1891, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED QUESTION.

* A MASS MEETING. DEPUTATION TO INTERVIEW THE GOVERNMENT. In response to the invitation of the Trades Council, over 109 unemployed, of all trades, assemb'ed in No. 11 room of tbe ixohango Buildinßß last evening, and diecusacd tho situation, the outcome of the mooting being a determination to topreßont matters to the Government. Mr E. Lanohlin. President of the Trades Counoil, »a Chairman of the moetinsr, explained ita object. As to a remedy, ho did not believe in tboso who were out of omploymeufc obtaining work at the cost of others now engaged, by acoepting lowor wages, as that would bo dragging one another down. Some of the newspapers had supported the cry of the capitalist—that it was not the duty of the Government i$ provide work for the unemployed, but he moinUUad that if it « r M the duty of tho Government to*p*jvj money to bring labour out to the oolony ij, certainly *>*# its duty to ke«p that labour here. (Applause), He than callod upon Zlv, G. Fisher, M.H.1?., to address the maatiug. Mr, Fisher trusted tbtt (,be question of tho unemployed would not bo mads tho subject of any aeitatjon— it was far tyu serious a roattar for that. Thore was tins faot before them, that whereas it was said that tbid colony was ouo of the most progressive in tho Australasian oolonles, there was also the melanoholy know* Ledge that the peoplo who wero tho bono and sinpw of the country wore oonstantly leaving it. Last yeir the oolony had lost upwards of 2000 person* in interchange with the Australian colonies, and this year, althongh only four months hud gone by, noarly 1700 more had left. It would bs well if some of those gentlemen who bad been, and wero a(, present in power, woujd read their own speeches delivered during tbe distress of 18S6, and render the asaiatonoe to the people of to-dny, which their remarks than implied they were willing to do. Although he and Mr. Macdonald wero willing to do their boat in rs presenting the state of affairs to tho Government, private members oould do vory littlo. Tbe offer ought really to come from the Governmont itself. There were plenty of public work required, and thoy oould ue carried out here just as well as at Catliu'g liiver or on tho Otasro Central Hailway. Tbo prflaon); was an appropriate time for proceeding wit<j the construotion of a portion of the North Island Main Trunk Lin», as was suggested by Mr. Seddon in 1886 The Government would have to faoo this unemployed question ultimately, for it was a most serious ouo, and troubled not New Zealand alone, buttbo whole of tho Australasian Colonies. When next Parliament met it was his intention to brine forward tho exhanttivo resolutions bearing upon the unemployed question which had been proposed in 1880 by the lato Mr. Maoandrow. It wg.3 an important mattor, and ongbt to engage top attention of tboee who wero in high office. If jibe meeting decided to Bend a deputation to thja Gpvoriiment, he hoped tb*t the men it comprised wonld be judioiously selected, so that itcoukj not bo said to savour of an agitation. (Applause). M. T. K. Maodonald, M.H.R., said that although it was not pleasant to aoo such a gathering of mon who wore looking for work, he waß pleasod to have an opportunity of addressing thorn. He believed we possessed a Government who wero in entire sympathy with the great mass of the working people of this oolony, and a Government which would do its boat to oreate employment for those in need of it. (Applause.) Though, aa tho Chairman had said, it might not bo argued that it wan tbe duty of the Government to provide work for everyone, it moßt certainly was its duty to keep wjthin the aoLony eyory adult by enaating those Liberal measure whioh would provide work. His own ido^ was that tbe opening up of tho wasto lands would settle this difficulty, for in that way tho oolony oould bo mado productive enough to support and hold its increasing population. Peop'.o being actually foroed to go away from flio oolony to seok employment was not a spectaolo whioh ought to be seen in & growing oolony like New Zealand. Thero was no provision in this colony, nor had there ever boon, for furnishing acourato information to tlia working poople as to where employment might be obtained. Ho believed that this might be done through the modlum of tho Poßt Office without incurring any mo roused expenditure. The postmaster in eaoh oountry district might keep a reoord of eaoh settler in bis district who neoded labour, togethor with information as to the olasa of labour required, and the rate of wago. This information aould be remitted, *ay onoe or twice a wock, to a central office. Complete lißts might bo plaoed in the yostibulo of tbe central offices, whore they oould be consulted at all times. Working men out of employment would then know at onco where work was obtainable and would no longor be pat to any nnneccsr sary expense. He holieved with Mr. Fiabpc that the Government onghttobeapproaohod in regard to this nnemployed qneition, and was aware that the Premier was now exerting himself with a view to providinor for further contraots on the Midland Railway line. For tho information of those present he might also siy that be bad heard that day that a contractor at Paikakariki was in want of Beveral labourers. Personally, he wonld do all in his power to removo tho preaent oongostion of tho labour market, and he hoped that the work of the next Parliament wonld be of suoh a oharaotor that such aepootaclo as the present would not bo aeon at this time next year. (Applause.) With regard to what Mr. Fisher had paid about agitating, he believed that if they were persistent both in and out of soason, they would have a much better ohanoe o{ sucooes (Applause ) Mr. Callender pointed out that in Australia the Governments provided a free Tailway pass to any man who wished to prooecd into the couutry in search of work, and expressed his surprise that the same system was not in vogue in New Zealand. If a man went to v. labour agent here and obtained work ho was oharged 15s ont of his first week's wbjj6b; in Australia he oould get employment for nothing. Mr D. P. Fisher rose to explain the reason the Trades Connoil vas interesting itself in this subject. As they were aware, tho Counoil had established a Labour Bureau, and in consequence of the dire dist»e«a wbioh many of tho working men of this colony were represented to bo in, the Council thought it a matter of duty to render whatever assistance lay in its power. (Applause.) Referring to roports whioh wera spread about that there was plenty of work to be obtained in the oonntry districts, Mr. Fisher said that he had telegraphed to several oountry districts, and in eyery cubj tho reply was, "Thero is no work, here." He thought it was tho duty of the Govoru? ment to do something for the nnemployed, either in connection with their pet sohome for village settlement, the Te Aro railway, or by completing the railway line from Bkotahuna to Woodville. Mr. J. Forsyth, spsaking of the free railway pass system in Australia, aaid that in most cases the country districts were besieged with men who, when unable to obtain work, had to get baok agiin as best they could In his opinion, a man might just as well starve in the oity as in the country. Mr. Lauohlin, in order to bring tbe matter to a head, suggested the following resolution : — "'lhat a deputation, consisting of one representative of each trade present at this meeting 1 and of tho oity members wait npon the Government on Friday noxt, at noon, in reference to the great want of employment in the colony." The resolution was curried unanimously on tbe motion of Mr. Keofe, seconded by Mr. Connolly. The Chairman asked if all present were unemployed, and received a unanimous reply in the affirmative. Mr. G. Fisher suggested that it wonld bo as well if tbe namos and occupations of all those present should be noted down before they left the room, and also ascertain whioh were married and whioh wero single men. This information would be valuable to the Government. The Chairman said this wonld be done. Mr. Fisher farther remarked it was perfootly trne what Mr. Forsyth had said about the system of providing frea railway passe* in Australia. It was simply a means of shunting the men outof the business centres. Mr. Callender did not think men who went into tbe country would starve. It was preferable to the city, where a man was liable to get six months' imprisonment if he bogged a morsel of food, or else to be arrested for vagrancy. Mr. Macdonald informed the meeting that thongh there was no regulation to the effect, he believed that the Government waa quite willing to assist men to get to any particular district to which work was known to be obtainable. (Hear, hear.) As Messrs. Fisher and Macdonald were about to retire at this stage, the meeting passed a hearty vole of thanks to them for the interest they had taken in the matter. In returning thanks Mr. Fisbor said that from personal observation be found the condition of the South Island in regard to tbe labour question was a groat deal worse than in Wellington. The meeting then appointed the following persons to form a deputation to the Government, in company with Messrs. Fisher and Macdonald, M.H.R.'sand the President and Secretary of the Trades Council i— Messrs. Hannan (labourer), Powell, (carter), Schatchard (cooper), Woodford (clerk), Bentley (chemist), Trask (hammorman), lamberg seaman), Marshall (stcreman), Taft (mill band), Emery (saddler), Connolly (printer), M'Leod (draper), Callender (biker), Hendeu son (carpenter), Campbell (fireman), Mnith (press r), Whittaker (fitter), Tustin (oabinetmaker), ii'Cleary (machinist), Chandler (cook), Bonelli (groom), Simpson (tailor), J. Forsyth (artist), B. Allan (plumber). The Secretary of the Trades Council (Mr. D. P. Fisher) was instructed to communicate tbe resolution to the Government and ask when it would be convenient for the delegation to present itself. On the motion of Mr. Connolly, seconded by Mr. Foray th, a hearty voto of thanks was passed to the members of the Trades Council present for the efforts they had made on behalf of the nnemployed. Mr. Lanohlin, in acknowledging the compliment, said that the Council would always endeavour to assist the working men. It was composed of wage earners, who were thoroughly in sympathy with the unfortunate position of the nnemployed. Tbe meeting then terminated.