OUT-OF-WORK MEN

Evening Star, Issue 17764, 12 September 1921, Page 4

OUT-OF-WORK MEN

NO DIMINUTION OF NUMBER, EFFORTS TO SET THEM GOING. Tho number of returned soldiers on tho books of the Dunedin office of the Repatriation Department this morning was sixty (of whom ten arc fit for*only light work), as against fifty-six last Monday.' The Government works did not take any on during tho week, but private employment was found for four. At Mr Browott’s office in, the Dunedin branch of the Department of Labor the applicants (or work on tho books to-day numbered twenty-five, or two fewer than last Monday. Places were mado by private employers for tbreo during (ho week. It is probable that the Government works up country' will absorb some of the. applicants within a few days.

OTAGO HARBOR. BOARD ENERGETIC. Tho Chairman of tho Otago Harbor Board (Dir Scollay), with the chairman of tbe board’s various committees (Messrs Loudon, Moller, and Galbraith), the engineer (Mr Wilkie), and tho secretary (Mr Bardslcy), spent Saturday afternoon in a visit to Black Jack’s Point, the quarry, and Lake Logan, to have a thorough look round, and see what can be done. ' Three or four schemes submitted by the engineer, whereby men could ba put to work, were discussed in a tentative way. This afternoon the members mentioned were to meet, and in set fashion consider the wholo matter, and whatever decision was arrived at was to be at once communicated to the mayor (Mr Douglas). THE WELLINGTON SITUATION. Speaking at Wellington, Mr R. A. Wright (mayor) said that tho number of unemployed in Wellington was greater than generally supposed, and quite a large proportion of tho cases were most necessitous and deserving. “I find from the inquiries mado at th Town Hall.” said Mr Wright, “that the men would far rather work than accept charitable aid., They, are anxious to earn money, and therefore the immediate needs of raising sufficient money to provide employment are evident. I am strongly appealing to’the citizens to support'the effort which is being made by the Civic League to raise funds. It is "difficult to ascertain’ just how many men are out of employment at the moment. A conservative estimate seems to fix tho number at about 500, but possibly the figure is greater than that. If the citi-, zens respond to tho appeal it will enable' tho corporation to proceed at once to employ as many men as funds will allow. While it is true that the council has authorised the raising of £25.000 for works already sanctioned by the ratepayers (which money can be raised quickly), yet it will be some time before these works are surveyed and prepared for the employlabor,”