AN UGLY TONE

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 81, 3 February 1928, Page 5

AN UGLY TONE

TEMPEJFS OF UNEMPLOYED, THOUSANDS OUT OF WORK. (Special to' Post.) AUCKLAND, Thursday. "Human nature can stand a certain amount, but so far as we are concerned w e have reached the- end Of our tether. I predict that if something i s not done soon there will be a big political revolt, because there i s an ugly tone about some of them—a tone that I don't "like."

.These ar e the words of the Rev. Jasper Calder, who confessed to a reporter to-da y that the unemployment situation in Auckland has readied a stage wher e it cannot he adequately handled.

The city missioner accepted fall responsibility for his utterance, declaring emphatically that for the'first time in the history of the mission he had been compelled to inform people that he could not assist them—so great was the stream of pebp] e who passed through the institution daily in search of food, drink, and cloth - ,ing.

hoffood.din cloth-searc rink.and ed The unemployment position lias steadily grown worse during the past few months, and it is estimated by those with the most intimate knowledge of the market, that there are over 2000 men alone' out of work in the city and suburbs. Trade union books disclose startling figures, and even in mid-winter the out-of-work lists are no greater than they are at present. City relief workers shudder to contemplate what is to happen before th e winter Of 1928. arrives, however, as the situation has | never been so tense in mid-January a s it is revealed to he at the present time.

The reporter who investigated the position specifically sought the silver lining which Is reputed to embellish even the cloud of poverty and want. But after an afternoon of fruitless search he was compelled to conclude that this was the darkest curtain that ha s overshadowed this city for many years. Social workers could not assist him in discerning ■ the bright side. "We are up against it," was the universal plaint. "We do our best, but the job has become too big."

STATE BLAMED. There wa s an ominous lack of confidence in the ability of the authorities to handle the big problem successfully— not only on the part of [those, who are directly interested in the welfare of the men, but from those who previously treasured the belief that the Government would help them out.. Mr Calder—usually most tolerant of men—spoke with som e vehemence. "I am, satisfied," he said, "that the people at present in power are utterly incapable of dealing with the problem."