MANY OUT OF WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15551, 7 March 1914, Page 8

MANY OUT OF WORK.

UNEMPLOYED IN AUCKLAND '

APPEAL TO THE MAYOR. J

"ON THE VERGE OF STARVATION."

A deputation of 10 unemployed men (formerly waterside workers) waited nDon the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr, ve6tw £ morning to urge that efforts should be made to provide employment for then within reasonable distance of the city Tne deputation was introduced by" M r A. E. Glover. M.P. for Auckland Central" who said the members of it represented from 400 to 500 men, who had been Out of work for some months. The deputation he said, wholly consisted of married men with families, and none had had con tin,, ous employment since before the wat«jj' workers' strike. In many instances the unemployed were 011 the verge of starvation. Mr. Glover timed tiiu Mayor to exert his influence to effect the comment ment of sn.n public works as would absorb some of the surplus labour offering He suggested that more men might be put on the Parnelt tunnel duplication ft oiks, also that employment Ha found on the Wainku railway if tho Government were approached, lie asked Mr i'arr to indicate what municipal work was likely to be put in hand shortly, men. tioning that it was dijlicuit to" indu™ married men to leave their homes in A take employment outride the city. Members of the deputation 'spoke in support of their own case, one stating that they had worked on the wharf for over seven years. They bad been excluded from the new Waterside Workers' Union, The Mayor expressed regret at hearinj there was so much unemployment. Exhibition had attracted a number "*of workers, and the mppiy of labour was now greater than the demand. Over 200 good men were at present waiting to be employed by the City Council, and had their names on its books. There would be work on the reticulation systems in connection with the drainage scheme, • but this work had still to be authorised'. He undertook to communicate with the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) on the subject, and would ascertain if it would be possible to adopt Mr. Glover's suggestions as to the Parnell tunnel and Waiuku railway works. Whatever influence he could use as Mayor in the matter he would gladly use. '