THE UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18180, 28 August 1922, Page 3

THE UNEMPLOYED.

Sir, —We, four of the unemployed workers in the Lome Street marquee, men whom our critic who signs himself "Keep Going," calls derelicts, crave space- to reply to the criticism which appeared in your issue of Saturday. The whole criticism is a worthless piece of generalisation. "Keep Going" speaks of the drinking habits of the workers, of their uselessness, of their aversion to work. Well, if ±hat is to be allowed to pass, and if some people accept it, it is only fair that we should be believed when we say that employers or contractors of the type of "Keep Going" are nothing better than sweaters and slave-drivers. But here is a test for bur critic He saya he has employed men who earned £4 a week, also that the unemployed here do .notwant work. Now, we challenge him to come here and offer his £4 a week job in this tent of "dereliots." We guarantee he will find far more able-bodied, capable men than he can employ. And more than that, we will guarantee that they will not leave their work at the end of the first week in order to get drunk and go on the - sponge again. A letter such as "Keep Going's" does muoh harm in stirring up bitterness, oi which there is too much already. As "our critic has not given his name for publication we follow his example, but in a covering letter we give.our names. Fotra' Unemployed Wokkebs.