THE UNEMPLOYED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14917, 12 February 1909, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

XO THE EDITOR. Sir,—ln this morning’s issue of the “Times” I read with much surprise an intorvieiv relating to the above heading. In part of the interview Mr Joseph Smith distinctly states that he came to Christchurch and tried to get work in every cabinetmaker’s shop that he could see, and that his efforts were fruitless. Now, this is a gros3 misstatement and quite unwarrantable. Mr Smith, according to his own statement, arrived in the dominion in September last. On the tenth of the same month he applied for work at Strange’s Cabinet Factory. He started work on September 14 and worked full time, for sixteen and a half weeks. It strikes me as being somewhat peculiar that Mr Sullivan, the president of the Furniture Trades Union (with an honorarium), should countenance such, an untruth. As president of a union he should have exercised a little more judgment. Where is the out-of-work book? Why was not Mr Smith’s name in the book wanting employment. Re-, garding assisted immigration, that I leave in abler bands than mine to discuss, but why burn so muoh coloured fire?—l am, etc.. ALEX JAMES GOODSTINE.