OUT OF WORK.

Patea Mail, Volume XI, Issue 132, 24 February 1886, Page 2

OUT OF WORK.

Two hundred thousand people in Lon'on alone, to say nothing of another 0,00 at least that do not come under the purview of charity, out of work Who can wonder that trade is bad in circumstances such as these ? Why, if these 200,000 people could only obtain employment, say at an average wage of £1 per week, this would add to the purchasing power of London alone something like £10,400,000 a year. The .want of work, Dr Gilbert explained, was felt among all classes of society. During the year, amongst the inmates of the refuge to which we have referred, were a solicitor, the son of an ex-sheriff, a surgeon dentist, medical assistants, authors, clerks, commercial travellers, bakers, butchers, jewellers, scene painters, pastrycooks, engine fitters, drivers, coachbuilders, governesses, and milliners and dress makers, all of these being professions and trades at which very good wages could be earned if only the poor people could got employment. Though we have no record of the poverty induced by the want of employment in the provinces, it is not too much to assume that £50,000,000 would hardly cover the loss of purchasing power which is duo to this cause, without taking Scotland and Ireland or the Principality of. Wales into account. Well might _Dr Gilbert ask, “ How is this mass of physical suffering to be lessened or removed ?” Echo answers, “ How ?” Anyway, _it should be cause for deep meditation among those who are at the head of affairs in England. We are sure of this, that this lecord of poverty will cost a gloom over every home in our Colonial Ernpiie.