THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNEMPLOYED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9117, 16 May 1891, Page 2

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNEMPLOYED.

.It (Pas UNITED PeE£S ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, May 15. A deputation of the unemployed waited on the Ministers at noon. Mr D: P. Fisher said they represented 101 men, and since the meeting on Tuesday he had received 65 more names There were 312 children dependent on themHe knew of many more, and there were quite 300 altogether out of work. The Premier said the Government recognised that a certain duty devolved on them to keep people iv work, but they could not find employment at their trades, All they had was roadmaking. He thought they could provide for about 100, aud would send them to districts and find tools. Speakiug generally, he thought the cure for the attraction of labour to towns was to be found in village settlements. Only a few days ago blocks were sot apart in Wairarapa fon this purpose, and ha hoped to see men now asking for work settled there. It was the duty of the Government to kesp statistics of the unemployed regularly, and it was- their intention to ask Parliament to allow a Minister of Industry to be appointed, who should watch over the interests of labour—otherwise the exodus from the country districts would still go on. Government accepted their responsibility, and intended to do all they could to keep the people employed. The Minister for Education added that Government thought well of the suggestion that officials in the country districts should be employed in keeping a register of available work, and sending an iutimatiou to other parts of the colony* Mr D. F. Fisher asked the Premier whether the Horowhenua block could be made available for village settlement, and Mr Ballance promised to look into it. The Colonial Secretary said that in consequence of a remark about Government printers working overtime, he would see that if there wag an opening for unemployed compositors they should have it. (Fbom Oub Own Cobbeseondent.) Wellington, May 15. Speaking to-day in reply to a deputation of the trades unions on behalf of the unemployed, the Premier applauded the action of the trades unions for bringing this matter forward. It was, he held, the duty of unions to ascertain how many men were out of employment, and if there were only 20 to make an attempt to flod them work. Bnt the Government were not in a position to afford employment to the various trades, as there were not in New Zealand the Government workshops that were to be found in some parts of Europe. They might do something in the way of general legislation to ameliorate the lot of tradesmen. They were going to introduce labour bills this year which should have that effect. He admitted that a very heavy responsibility rested npon the Government, and that they should find employment as far as they could for unemployed. The principal employment they could give was that of road making and of constructing railways, which was not suitable for all men who might be willing enough to work. What the Government could do was to give, employment on roads where they were required, at the same time opening up land for settlement upon which men could make homes for themselves. As things now were, men from the country were driven into townß to intensify the evil therein. One of the evils of the day was this attractiveness of towns. His own idea was to give a man the opportunity of taking up land in the country on the village settlement system, putting up a house upon it, locating a family there, and going round the district to look for work. Thus, he would live as cheaply as in the town, and the tendency would be to live in the country instead of coming into tho city. He saw no reason why the unemployed should not be given contracts on roads about to be made in the Wairarapa districts at fair average rates, not less than the ordinary current price?. The Minuter for Lands had sent mea to Wairarapa to see that the land was suitable for settlements, and within the last week or two rations blocks had been set asideas suitable for village settlements. As to railways, nothing could be undertaken till Parliament authorised the lines and voted money. Those desirous of employment should give in their names, and he had no doubt that they could be found in employment to the number of about 100 within the next two or three days, Mr Ballance expressed approval of the action of the trades unions, and said he believed it to be the duty of the Government to arrange for the careful collection ot statistics of the people out of employment, The Government intended to ask Parliament to consent to the appointment of a Minister of Industry, whose special function it would be to take under his charge this question of finding employment for the people, collecting statistics, and seeing that: the people of tho country were employed. For his part, he believed the State was not properly constituted if there were industrious people out of employment. Poseibly there were some loafers in every community, but his impression was that they were not a very large section of the body politic. The Government would do what they could to keep the industrious population of the colony fully employed. He asked for a list of the names of men willing to take road work in the-Wairarapa, and said the Government would have them sent to the place and provide tools for them. The Premier was followed by the Minister for Education, who said the Government were favourably impressed with the suggestion that Government officers, such as postmasters in outlying districts, should be asked to keep lists of men wanting employment, and employers wanting men. They would probably use postmasters and clerks of courts for the purpose, and have information transmitted to the large centres. Mr Reeves expressed his sense of the extreme importance to the Government of the question of the employment of the people, and said the trades unions never did a better deed than when they took up the cause of their brethren out of work. The Colonial Secretary undertook to inquire into the alleged overtime of the Government Printing Office, and to see that any printers out of employment received their share of work. I hear that the work which it is proposed to give to the .men is the formation of a read which will pass through dense bush, and will open up entirely new land. Each man will be conveyed to the district, and will have tools supplied to him, but must find his own tent and other requisites. The course adopted by the Government in this matter appears to meet with general approbation.