WORK BY LOTTERY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 10, 12 July 1909, Page 8

WORK BY LOTTERY.

TO-DAY'S BALLOT. They were down in the basement of the Town Hall, at 12.30 to-day, in one of the subterranean rooms where a little light intruded, apologetically, through heavy dusty windows, faced with iron. The low celling with its plaster cracked, the white-washed brick walls, and the subdued light suggested a prison, but it wasf a refuge of hope, a place where the workless expected to draw glad tidings from the ballot bag. - EXIT THE SINGLE. All eyes were on the secretary (Mr. Willis), who sat at a little table, which severely harmonised with the walk, and called the roll. In tones which made an eerio reverberation in the vault, the single men were told to retire. Their turn would come another day ; to-day it was the innings of the "married men, •with families." Sadly the unmarried edged theii\ way out, to chat awhile in a dimly-lit cavernous passage, before going out into the cold greyness of the southerly. They took some fleeting com fort in the fact that they were all served alike, but the half-sad smiles raised by jokes by themselves foon passed away, and they were not happy men who presently turned into the streets to search for something difficult to find. ALL TENSE. The married were too busy with trtnights about the fate in bag for them to spare a sigh for their single comrades in misfortune. Ihey all had their gaze intent on the secretary and his helpers, who worked on methodically. The names of forty or fifty men were pencilled on slips ot paper. Eager eyes followed the slips into the capacious bag, and watched the shaking. Somebody put a hand in to draw. It was a dramatic moment — all features tense, all eyes as steadily trained upon that little square of paper as a Trentham marksman's upon the target in an aim 16 decide a championship. Tho lucky name was calmly read out, and one of the waiters gave a little jump of pleasure. He was safe. He would have work to-day. He was sorry for thoss wlio would stand and hear all the names called and find themselves still in the cold, but his suspense was over, and he had a vision of the shilling splendid per hour. So he lightheartediy took his place outside to await details about the place and manner of his employment for the afternoon and days to iollow\ "ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE." A name was called — once, twice, thrice. No response, 'ihe secretary held up the slip oi paper, and looked inquiringly at the cluster of faces • which steadily returneu his transient glance. "Absent without leave," said Mr. Willis, and he crumpled the paper in his Sand, and dropped it among the litter on tlie floor. Three or four men, whose names had been entered for the ballot, though they •were not present, lost their chance for to-day by their absence at the "business end" of the proceedings. But it would have been easy to miss finding the way to that secluded corner of the basement. There seemed to be some confusion about the rendezvous. INCIDENTS. One late-comer altered the course of destiny. The bag had been shaken, and was ready for the drawing. The belated person's name was added, and the papers were re-&haken, thus changing tho luck — for the better in some cases and for the worse in others. An old man bad a disappointment. He heard a name called, a surname which was the same, in sound at least, as his front name. He put on eager question. Weie they "calling out the Christian names of the lucky ones ? The "no" sent him back two paces by the breakage of the slender thread of hope to which he was clinging. But at least one other person was as hicky as the aged man was unfortunate. Two voices answered to one surname that was plucked out of the much-watch-ed bag. There were no initials at the first, no evidence of distinction. The secretary pondered a moment, and the sharp suspense of the two owners of the name was quickly settled. "They can both go on," was the verdict. THE UNDERTAKINGS. A great batch of men, numbering some cne hundred and fifty or more, attended at Mr. Willis's office this morning between 9 and 10 o'clock, to-uadergo.-the

sifting process. The married men with most dependents were sent away to the Town Hall, where a. ballot was in operation. Forty men were chosen in this way. Ten have gone out to Kilbirnie, under a corporation official, to" bring in rails and tramway plant necessary for the work at Victoria College ; fifteen begin at eight o'clock to-morrow morning, and another lot of fifteen on Wednesday lfioming. These forty work till Tuesday evening of next week, a fresh selection beginning on the following Wednesday Quite a considerable number of men not on the list put In an appearance in the chance of getting in the ballot, but they were promptly invited to get on the list. Single men eligible for being chosen will have further information re employment available by Thursday next. The secretary (Mr. Willis) states that the committee is endeavouring to find work other than that in hand at present for the men. The Public Works Department is lending tools.