UNEMPLOYED

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 57, 9 March 1922, Page 4

UNEMPLOYED

RETURNED SOLDIERS AND OTHERS

AN APPEAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL. 1 An appeal to the City Council to provide at an early date relief work for the unemployed was made yesterday afternoon by a deputation which waited upon the Finance Committee of the council. According to Mr. G. Mitchell, M.P., there are two hundred men actually registered as unemployed in Wellington to-day, but he expressed the opinion that many more men were seeking work. About a hundred returned soldiers were said to be out of work, half of tbeni capable of doing light work only. The opinion was expressed that unless a measure of relief is provided, the position during the winter will be > very serious. , ' ■ ' . Mr. Mitchell introduced the deputation which 'represented, the Returned Soldiers' Association. He said that the returned soldiers felt that they were in an unfortunate position in' having to appeal for work for men who went to 'tvar amidst such a '"blast of trumpets; ' They asked the council to do its share in fulfilling a.t least one of the promises made to the soldiers before they departed—namely, that work would be found for all when they returned. Men- who had been crippled in various ways now found that they were out of work with a, pension which was not sufficient for their own requirements, let alone the requirements of their families. There were over one hundred returned soldiers out of work, , and the deputation did not suggest that the City Council should find work for that number. Tlie Government had greater facilities for employing men who had been seriously disabled. When Mr. Maasey returned, the serious position created by general unemployment would be''placed before him. He appealed to the council to raise.money and establish some sort of relief work at the earliest possible date. It was the duty of the municipalities to do their share in relieving unemployment. Mr. Mitchell quoted several distressing cases where men grievously wounded in the war had failed to find work.

Mr. A. Fair expressed the opinion that everybody was obliged to assist the disabled men who'-.pould do only light work. Care and time should'be given to fit the men into a suitable job. The Returned Soldiers' Association did not close its eyes, to necessitous cases outside its ranks, for it felt that everything possible should be done to provide work for all. There were numerous 1' unemployed, in Wellington to-day, and there was ample work waiting for them, if only the work could be put in hand. The council, ho understood, had authority to raise £10,000 for relief works, and he appealed to the City Council to exercise that power. He felt sure that the money could be obtained without any difficulty if only the 'council had a mind to raise the loan. ' '

Mr. W. Pascoe said thatrthe unemployed—returned' soldiers and otherwise — were not seeking charity, but their rights as citizens.. He thought it'was time that Chinese immigration should be stopped, and the " Yellow Peril" sent back home. The Chinese had captured the fruit trade, and if they'were deported there would be a fine opening for returned soldiers. ■ In reply, the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) said that no exception could be taken to the statements which had been made by the deputation. They all knew the promises that were made to soldiers, but the General Government must take full, responsibility ■ for them. Mr. Wright agreed that the - pensions were small. In the case of a blind man, ho thought.that the 'pension; sKould:be. such that the" men need not work. Those who wanted, light work had nothing much to hope for as far 'as■'"the, City Council was concerned. The bulk 'of the work which could be provided by the City Council would be heavy work. He did not think ' that the municipality should take the whole responsibility for, finding work for the unemployed^ but itj should do its share. It was anticipated that during the" winter'the council would have £50,000 in loan money for heavy work. The council had been, looking ahead and wanted to provide for the winter. The whole question, as raised by the deputation, would be discussed by the committee, and he felt sure that the discussion would be sympathetic. Regarding Mr. Pascoe's remarks, it was a fact that the Chinese had monopolised 'the fruit industry, and were well patronised by the white people. Mr. Mitchell: "More shame t them." '■ . '; Mr. Wright expressed the opinion tlipl there were still openings in the city f»; European fruiterers. . „ Mr. Aldrich asked the committee tr consider the position of'all female assist ants—apart from typists—with a view t,'; replacing themi with disabled soldiers, when such displacement would not causv hardship. . »