THE UNEMPLOYED AT ST. CLAIR.

Evening Star, Issue 7747, 19 October 1888, Page 4

THE UNEMPLOYED AT ST. CLAIR.

10 THE EDITOR. Sir, —I feel it my duty to protest against the manner the unemployed at St. Clair are overworked. Today I actually saw one of them lift his shovel (and a long-handled one, too) six times in two minutes by the watch, and each time the shovel was quite one-third full of fine, dry sand._ True, he did not look where he threw it; but of course he could not be expected to kill himself outright. If the Corporation have the slightest regard for the welfare of these poor fellows they will forbid the use of these heavy long-handled shovels, and provide them with four-pronged forks to use in the sand and tablespoons for the clay, for it is very evident no (unemployed) constitution can stand the strain for long. If it was not thereviving effect of a whiff or two with the pipe between each effort with the spade the results would be fatal. I would also suggest that each one have two boys employed to lift his shovel for him and do part of the thinking ; and when the job is finished, say about a.d. 1900, each man receive a fair pension and a testimonial on parchment setting forth the manful way they wrestled with sand and sunshine at St. Clair.

The unfeeling remarks of small boys about " the stand-at-ease brigade " and " broody roosters" should be considered in their wages. I must visit them again shortly and see if this letter produces any change in their condition for the better, or if any have died at their (leaning) post,—l am, etc., Sergeant Mary Ann. Caversham, October 17.