The Unemployed at Wellington.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7332, 5 October 1898, Page 4

The Unemployed at Wellington.

(3V TEI.EGB.APH. ) Wellington, October 4. A deputation representing the unemployed of the city interviewed the Premier this evening. Mr Brown, secretary of the Brotherhood of Labor, explained that there were at present a large number of men out of work, or at least only working intermittently, whose earnings were hardly sufficient to keep their families Cooperative works hardly meet the case of married men living in towns, and the wages were quite inadequate to maintain a family upon. He appealed to Mr Seddon to provide a comparatively: small sum of money for the prosecution of public works. The workers did not look to the Government for employment as a favor bui, as a right. The Premier, in reply, said he had no wish to send the men away without hope, but the Government could not perform impossibilities. The expenditure now was greater than ib ever had been. The question was one of ways and means. He did not believe in pressing on unproductive works just to palliate a difficulty for the moment. He was afraid that of late years men had relied more on the Government for work than the use of their own energies. The State was not in the position of giving work as a right to whoever demanded it. It could only prosecute those things necessary for its own advancement and necessity. Every effort was being made by the Labor Bnreau to cope with the necessities of the situation, which would doubtless be much less acute in a few weeks' time. The Government were anxious, however, to do what they could, and he would confer with the Minister for Public Works on the subject.