THE UNEMPLOYED AT WAIMATE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5715, 20 June 1879, Page 6

THE UNEMPLOYED AT WAIMATE.

A meeting of tho unemployed was held in tho Oddfellows’ Hall, Waimate, on Wednesday evening last. The meeting was called to discuss the best meant of finding employment for the large number of men at present out of work. Soon after 7.30, the hour at which the meeting was to take place, the hall was well-filled with an, orderly assemblage, the; greater number of those present being eyi-i deafly working men. At 8 o’clock there were probably three.hundred people present. Mr JohnManchester.amemborof the County; Council, was voted to the chair, and after' briefly explaining the purpose for which the ! meeting had been convened, called upon some - one to addreu the meeting. Mr F. Gaitt stated that some fifteen: men had called upon him and sought Ms 1 advice in Order that they might get employment. He had recommended them to call the present meeting by advertisement. He thought that they should go to the County Council and ask the members of that body to aid them in obtaining employment.

Mr Gaitt having concluded his remarks, the Chairman, after waiting a considerable time, called upon some of those present to address the meeting. At length Mr E. Pratt/a labouring mao, rose in the body of the hall, and after some persuasion mounted the platform. He commenced by asking what advantage was to be gained by speaking, and then proceeded to state that he had omy just heard of the meeting on coming into the town that evening. He was told that the meeting was got up for the benefit of the storekeepers. (Lend cries of “No, no.”) The Chairman having appealed to the meeting, quiet was restored, and Mr Pratt proceeded to state that he had been 17 years in New Zealand, but had never met with so bad a place as Waimate. He had at last had to take to hawking fruit for a living. He owed every storekeeper in the place something, Mr H. Walden, a working man, next spoke. He commenced by saying that he didn’t know whether the last speaker could do a day’s work, but for his part he, though but a little man, was prepared to do a good day’s work if he could but get it. He had been out of work for eight weeks, and when he had work it was difficult to get paid for it. Ha had a large family, and when the rate-collector next called upon him he proposed to pay him with a baby. (Loud laughter). The streets of the township were in a disgracefully muddy state, the County Council should employ men to clean them; indeed, it would be better that men should be set to clear the mud away, even if they only put it back to where they got it from. He thought they should go to the County Council, who had large lands lying oat at |?!^ eß £ - - cans, then” ascen3e3Tthe platform. Mr Freeman stated his intention to go to the root of all the'present evils. In his opinion all the mischief was owing to the merchants who, by their extravagant land speculations, had been driven to bring pressure upon the Cockatoos, and these, in their turn, had to press upon the labourers. The merchants were crushing the cockatoos, by forcing them to sell their grain at ruinous prices. He, too, like many of those present, found it difficult to meet his engagements, but it was not to the storekeepers or to the men whom he employed that he owned anything ; it was to an institution that ho would not name. (Load laughter.) The Council should make use of part of the £40,000 they were now nursing. He could not help thinking that the members of the Council, one and all, wanted a " kink ” in their necks. (Much laughter.) If other employers lowered the rate of wages he must do likewise, but he thought that the smallest child that could work, even at feeding chickens, was worth its tucker. They (the Government) had got the immigrants out, and that was all they cared for ; they didn’t care what became of them. (Loud applause.) The Chairman, in calling upon fresn speakers, remarked that one speaker had said he owed e»ery storekeeper something, and another tliai I,e had owed none of them anything.' Perhaps, if the storekeepers were asked, they would give some of those present a job at collecting debts. (Laughter.) Mr John Lee, one of the unemployed, proposed that a deputation should be appointed to wait upon the County Council at their next meeting. Another of the unemployed stated that he had b.en out of work for the past eight weeks. He thought that ih i contracts of the County C ouncil should only be given to those who were settled in the district, and that men with families should get the work. One of the fifteen who had waited upon Mr Gaitt, stated that he had only earned £3 in the last throe months.

Proposed by Mr John Lee, and seconded by Mr H. Walden—“ That a deputation wait upon the County Council, to lay before that body the present demand for employment in this county, and to respectfully request it to find work as early as possible, the deputation to consist of Messrs F. Gaitt, G. Freeman, Connell, and L. Tooher, with power to add to their number.” Carried.

The Chairman, whilst promising for his own part to support their claims at the Council Board, suggested that same person of “ intelligence,” accustomed to draw up such documents, should be asked to embody the wishes and views of the deputation in writing. Mr F. G-aitt thought that it would be better for the deputation to go to the County Council about 6 p.m. on Wednesday next, and expressed a hope that a number of those now present should go to the Council Hall, in order to give support to those whom they had deputed to interview the Council. Be should like all those present who were unemployed to hold up their right hands. In answer to this appeal a perfect forest of hands were held up, amidst loud laughter, nearly every one present appearing to claim to be of the numaer.

A working man suggested that the names of the unemployed should bo taken down.

The Chairman thought ihat it was a pity they were not more serious. It would never do to treat to important a subject os a farce. He considered the suggestion of ascertaining the number of the unemployed to bo a good one, as that was sure to be one of the points which the Council would aik for information upon. Mr F. Gaitt having given his consent, it was resolved—“ That those who aro out of employment, be requested to coll at the store of Messrs F. Gaitt and Co., to sign a statement to that effect,”

It was further suggested that signatures should be received up till Wednesday next. A vote of thanks to the Chairman was given, and the meeting closed shortly before nine o’clock.