THE UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1160, 25 May 1894, Page 14

THE UNEMPLOYED.

KECIPIENTS OF BELIEF.

At the meeting of the Benevolent Trustees on Tuesday afternoon, tho ActingChairman (Mr S. Lancaster) asked the secretary how many of the men now in receipt of temporary relief woro native-born New Zealanders.

The Secretary said they were men of all classes, but it seemed to him the shelter shed and home were becoming to a certain extent a firemen’s and stewards’ boardinghouse.

The Acting-Chairman remarked it was because this had appeared to him to be the wise that he had asked the question. From what he saw at the Home on Sunday last, it appeared to him that a great many of the men there were those who had left their ships. The Secretary said it was beyond doubt that quite a number of them were of that class. The ages of those who had been relieved ranged from 16 to 53. As a matter of fact there were only two elderly men — one of 53 and one of 01—while tho others were men in the twenties and thirties. The only man among them who belonged to Wellington was a musician. With tho two exceptions he had mentioned they were all young men who, he thought, ought to be able to find work. Mr McKenzie wished to know tho reason for asking if these men were native-born New Zealanders.

The Acting-Chairman said the reason was that ho did not think any native-born New Zealanders would seek charity at their hands. They preferred to go out into the country and find work for themselves. They did not congregate in the towns.

Mr McKenzie endorsed this view. He was gratified to know that when the Home for the Aged and Needy was established not one of the old settlers appeared amongst the applicants for relief. The grand feature of the old settlers was their self-reliant sp>irifc. The Acting-Chairman said that when ho visited the Benevolent Home on Sunday last and saw' the class of men who were being provided for there, he thought the Homo was never started at the ratepayers’

expense for people of that description. Ho considered it a great shame that tho public money should go to the support of men like these, who for tho most part had simply loft their ships. Mr Willoston thought they had made too much fuss over this unemployed business, and had in fact extended a general invitation to all out of work to coino forward for relief.

The Secretary stated that in the course of a few days work —other than that provided by tho Corporation ortho Government —would be offered, which would afford tho means of testing tho capabilities and bona Jules of theso men. About 00 men would bo required.

The Trustees then went into committee to consider tho case of the men now obtaining temporary relief.

At a subsequent stage of tho meeting the Trustees were waited upon by a deputation of five young men, who are of the party now receiving relief and engaged in breaking a yard of spawls each per diem at tho Corporation yard in return for it. The spokesman, who said his name was Ward, explained that they wanted passages to Sydney. Two of them were Englishmen and tho other three Australians. Ho himself was a steward, cook or clerk, one was a scalemaker, another was a storeman, a fourth was a seaman, and the fifth was a slater.

The deputation having retired, the Act-ting-Chairman said he would never consent to voting the ratepayers’ money in finding passages out of tho Colony for young, able-bodied men like these. Let them go up into tho country and earn their living. Not so long ago the Colony was paying at tho rate of about £2O a head to bring just this class of men into New Zealand. He would never bo a party to sending its bone and sinew out of the Colony. If theso men could get nothing to do in tho towns they could get enough in the country—-now that bushfalling was setting in—wherewith to earn a livelihood. The other Trustees concurred, and it was therefore decided to take no action. When this decision was communicated to the deputation, they sent back word that they wanted to see tho Trustees again.

The request was declined, but the men would not be denied. They came back to the door of the meeting-room, and when the business in hand was despatched they were re-admitted. Ward, speaking for tho party,.wanted to know if they could not bo allowed to break enough stones to earn their passages or at least to enable them to get board and lodging elsewhere than at tho Home, where the food supphed them was not fit to be eaten. They also required tobacco and clothing. They understood tho breaking of a yard of metal was valued at Is (3d.

The Acting-Chairman explained that tho Trustees received no payment for the metal which the men broke. If they desired further work of that kind they had bettor apply to the Corporation. The Trustees could offer them no more than tho food and shelter they were now receiving. Tho deputation retired after vainly trying to engage the Trustees in discussion over the matter, Ward firing a Parthian shot with the declaration that ho would show tho Trustees up through tho columns of tho press; ho had sent ono letter there already, and ho would send a dozen more.

During last week 759 meals and 253 beds wero provided at the Home for .the men now' in receipt of temporary reliefs A daily average of 37 men had been provided with shelter and meals, 28 (on an average) sleeping in the shelter shed and 19 at the Home.

The Labour Department are negotiating with Mr F. S. Neave, of Titirangi, Pelorus Sound, for supplying him with 30 or 40 men for bushfalling w r ork. This order should afford employment for all the ablebodied men now in receipt of temporary relief from the Benevolent Trustees.

At the City Night Befuge and Soup Kitchen in Sydney during the month ending May 10th, 5751 meals and 2392 nightshelters were supplied.

There wero 11 casuals accommodated in tho Benevolent Home on Tuesday night.

By Telegraph. —Press Association. Tim abu, May 22

The Mayor and Mr Hall-Jones to-day selected 10 men out of about 'lO married men, who turned up to take up the work of bush settlement in the North Island.