UNEMPLOYMENT

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT

POSITION IN THE CITY. DISTRESS AMONG EX-SOLDIERS. A Times reporter who spent some time on the 13th in making inquiries into the unemployment position came to the conclusion that it is even more acute than it was a month ago, and this although a union secretary remarked to him, “It is true that I don’t know much about it, but it seems to me that if there was a great deal of unemployment more noise would be made. People were either working or starving, and if they were doing the latter it is unlikely that the operation would occur quietly.” _ The secretary went on to say that members of his unions would call on him, say they were out of work, and then disappear for three or four weeks. It seemed to him that, if those people were in a bad way, they would keep more closely in touch with the medium through which they might become re engaged. The first man called on was an oldestablished labour agent, who declared that the position was certainly very bad. Orders for workers had fallen off bv about a third compared with the position at the same period last year, and there was now no difficulty in supplying first-class men at considerably reduced wages for farm work. He explained, however, that good men were not prepared to go into the country at very low rates—a capable ploughman would seldom accept under £2 a week. Questioned as to the number of skilled men on his books, the agent stated that he had any quantity available in all trades, from drapers and commercial travellers to bricklayers. When the reporter entered the Government i Labour office three men, obviously newly-arrived from England, were filling in applications for positions as labourers. This led to an inquiry ns to whether any of the applicants were immigrants, and he was told by the officer that about onothird of them could be so classed. It was somewhat reassuring to hear that there was a decrease of about 20 applicants at the Government office in the last two months. At the beginning of the week there were 34 men fit for heavy work, and three fit for light work waiting for employment through the Government. Bureau. APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE. The Hospital Board authorities state that of Into there has been a noticeable increase in the number of applications for assistance. which might he taken as a reflection of the present unfortunate position. A goodly proportion of these applications is referred to the Unemployment Relief Committee, the chairman of which, the Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas). states that a number of necessitous oases is being brought under his notice. Mr Douglas on ’I hursday wired to the Prime Minister requesting that authority to proceed with the railway deviation works at Pelichet Bitv should be granted. He is issuing an appeal to employers in connection with the position. THE SOLDIERS’ SIDE. Colonel M‘Donald, the R.S.A. nresident, did not draw a cheering picture. “An old widow lady has just been in begging that I should get her son a half day’s work now and again,” he remarked. “Her case is no unusual one. and I could do nothing for her. Undoubtedly there is a great deal of distress among returned men and their dependents. That is the case with many of our own men. but there are also Imperial men coming in to see me. Unfortunately, wo can do nothing for them as all the money raised to relieve distress is set aside for the New Zealand soldiers.” Speaking in regard to the expenditure of the Poppy Day funds. Colonel M’Donald said that the arrangements were eilher completed or in the course of completion throughout the district. He was pleased that the Dunedin City Council had met the R.S.A. in a reasonable spirit, and had seen fit to provide work in connection with the reserves for a number of our men. The Harbour Board had also met them in a praiseworthy manner. Ihe Colonel explained that the first aim with the scheme was to get employment for married men and then for single men with dependents. In some cases men with four children had been placed, but there was really very little room for the unmarried owing to the limited funds at their disposal. However, an endeavour to secure the Government s £ for £ subsidy on all moneys raised was being made, and this would, the effort were successful, give more work. One of the greatest problems was to place partially disabled men. Employers wore inclined to look on those men as they would on men totally disabled, and he was hoping for some proper arrangement bv which, either the Government or the patriotic societies would accept the responsibility of these Some time ago there were about 100 names of unemployed men on the R.S.A.’s books, but, when there was no work offering, the men failed to keep the applications renewed. With improved prospects, the returned men are now coming forward to apply again