MUST HAVE WORK

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 122, 25 May 1928, Page 10

MUST HAVE WORK

CHRISTCHURCH DEMAND . I - " (By Teleoraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. I "We must have work at once or some of us may take drastic action not acceptable to the majority. How are we going to five without' a penny in our pockets? It we don't get work some of the men may get desperate, and they may commit a folly:— break windows and help themselves. This has been done in other cities and might well happen here. .We're ready to work in the morning, but we must have that work," said a spokesman of a large body of unemployed which waited on tho Mayor of Christchurch (the Key.- J. K. Archer) yesterday. In reply to the Mayor's advice not to make threats, the-men said that thoy were not threatening, but merely pointing* out what might happen. < The Mayor summoned a special meeting of the City Council at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon to consider urgent measures for relief of the unemployed. The meeting was held in committee, and subsequently the Mayor announced to a waiting body of the unemployed that the council-had decided to take immediate steps to provide urgent relief, but this would not absorb all the unemployed. As many as possible would be provided with work and the men would all be classified. Those capable of hard work would be paid 15s 4d; the award rate, while those not competent to undertake hard work would bo classed as gardeners and given work in the municipal gardens at 14s a day—the .gardeners' award rate. The Mayor added that the council was doing its utmost to meet the situation, but expected the men to do their best and would stand no slacking. THREAT OF DEMONSTRATION. A threat, by a section of the unemployed to march in the jubilee procession on Monday'was made to Mr. W. E. Leadley, secretary of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations Committee. It was stated that a large body of men proposed to turn out, and if they were not allotted a place in the procession they would follow behind, carrying banners ' showing skeletons and skulls as symbols that they were on the verge of starvation. The proposal has not received the whole-hearted support of the unemployed, and it was not mentioned when a deputation waited on tho Mayor with a request for immediate employment. The Mayor did not hear of the matter until after the deputation had dispersed, and- it is probable that he will endeavour to persuade the men hot to carry out their threat. "Exactly; where ?do .we go in the

procession, Mr. Lcadley?" was;the sur- i prising question asked of him by a re- i presentativo of the unemployed. It i was Mr. Leadley's first intimation that the unemployed contemplated taking part in the procession. He informed the men that thero was no place allotted to-them, whereupon they informed him that it was their intention to form up in a body and join in carrying their banners.