EMPLOYMENT IN TIMARU

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13658, 29 July 1908, Page 2

EMPLOYMENT IN TIMARU

(To the Editor of the " Thnaru Herald. ) Sir -I would not have replied again, but for the fact that those responsible . for the hue and cry oi an unemployed problem (which I have proved only exists iu pure imagination) have made themselves look more ridiculous than ever, by .giving a list of twenty-five names whose average earnings for the last month gives a grand total of 14s 6d per man per week. It" what, thev sav is correct, I ani sine anv svuipath'v which they have from this district will be "completely alienated. • J.t Ik a cruel wrong to those depending upon them, not to accept even 30s per week and find themselves, rather than starve. Thev evidently prefer to stay in town and work for 14s 6d per week, and swear at the employer who offered 30s. How manly of them ! How grossly inconsistent ! How cowardly of them to stint iheir wives and families of the staff of life, when better work and better pay is offered io them ! Evidently they have never heard of the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones's offer of work to hundreds of men, with a, guarantee of Ss per day. Neither have they read the Labour Department's repore giving exact statistics of the port trade for the last twelve months. Whoever, in the face of these two statements, asserts that there is an unemployed problem in this district, must be either a stranger to the truth or as mad as a. hatter. —1 am etc., ONE WHO KNOWS.

Sir, —Seeing the letters iu your paper about the unemployed 1 could hardly believe it, but seeing is believing. 1 am a small farmer a few miles away from town, and I a,m very sorry that I can't keep a few men employed on my farm seeing there are so niuny men untmrjloycd iu Timaru. I had occasion to come to town to-day, when there was a lit tie shipping doing. There were four vessels working, and I must have seen enough men out of work to man double the amount of boats. I was standing at the railway crossing when a carter came down for a man to go with him on a dust cart for one hour or so. I really believe ha could have got a dozen or more. The answer from the unemployed was —"How many do yon want? Only one." When walking about town I met a, few business men who began to talk about tho times. They told "mo that they had never seen things as bad in Timaru for years, for every nine out of tea were asking credit, so,that proves that work cannot be got. While waiting for my train I was walking towards the bay when I' saw some men hauling one of the old surf boats on a slip and I was surprised to see so. many men around the boat. 1 asked one what were after and the answer was: " Mussels. Going to be very hard times for the working men. We have got to feed our children and wives on mussels." So I quite believe things are pretty bad, and I am told there are from three to four hundred men out of work at ihe present time.—l am etc., FARMER.

OPENINGS IN SOUTHLAND. Mr Twentymjui Hodgson, of Ka.puka, Southland, has written to the Mayor of Christchurch, making tho following oner : —"I see by the papers that there are a great many men out of work in Christchurch. If there are any bushmeu out of work, I will give them five hundred cords of firewood free if they like to come. and . cut it, and plenty of manuka rails as well. If they could prevail on the Minister of Railways to carry it to Culverden or other places for half the present rate, they would find work for a lot of people and be a boon to peopla were there is no bush. There is work here for some men, especially ditchers. I can lay six good men on people who cannot get their drainage done for want of men. Two farmers hero want ploughmen, but cannot got them. A man is wanted here to build two email cottages; no labour available. If you were to appeal to the Minister of Lands, there are miles of draining to be done here on the Seaward Moss, and a lob of roads to be formed, which, if done, would 1 oj>en up a lot of land now lying idle for want of labour. It can be bought on occupation, right of purchase, at 5s per acre, and would make good homes for a lot of people if drained. It is three to six miles from the railway. I will show anyone where these jobs are to be got. The bush is three miles from Invercargill town, with good roads to cart when cut."

INTERVIEW WITH THE HON. W.-HALL-JONES. When interviewed, the Hon. W. HallJohes, Minister of Public Works, indicated that he was not impressed by the/ tales of unemployment. "I want several hundred men," he said, " and will guarantee that every man who comes up on the works will receive what he earns. The Budget stated that ifc was the intention of the Government to spend one million on railway construction and £650,000 on road formation. Parliament has authorised the expenditure, and the money is available, and we want, for railway construction alone, several hundred . additional men. I know that some artisans 1 arc out of work, but that is always the case in the rainy season, but railway construction always produces a demand for ar : tisans. Some men do not like the cooperative system," because payment is by results, but the impression that the earnings of men are limited to 8s per day is absurd. I have seen in the newspapers that in one town some unemployed men paraded the streets begging food. Contrast .this with the position of .the cooperative workers on the Main - Trunk. Recently a letter was received from them, asking whether there, was any objection, to them visiting Auckland during fleet week. My reply was that I would prefer them to remain, ab work, but, of course, if they wished to go they must please themselves, but I hoped their visit to Auckland would be brief."

Per Press Association. PREMIER WAITED ON. A SYMPATHETIC HEARING. WELLINGTON, July 28. Two or three, hundred alleged unenrployed met at the Queen's statue and passed resolutions condemning the.action of the Government in advertising in England leports calculated to give wrong impressions to intending immigrants, and calling for a cessation of immigration; also that the Government take immediate, steps to alleviate the distress through lack, of employment. After o. procession through, the streets a deputation waited on the Prime, Minister. .'.•-. ..., Mr D. McLaren, secretary to tho Waterside Workers 1 Union, said that tliere were about 1600 names on'tile Union's books, but the number of-men who made, anything like a living did not exceed 600. Men .who were unable to get work at their ordinary callings flocked to tho wharf and made the state of affairs there more a.ud more despurate. Day . after day and week after week lie came across cases of pitiful destitution. There were about 300 names on the list, which had been handed to Sir Joseph, but he believed; the number of men who were earning little or nothing was double that figure: Sir. Joseph Ward said, that the representations - of the speakers would bo fully considered by himself and his colleagues. He and the Government were, in'full sympathy with people in distress. Regarding

immigration he was nob in favour of any kind that, would be likely to disorganise the labour market. If the.'new arrivals were not being legitimately absorbed, tuo Government would take steps to stop the immigration as far as possible. If tliere was anv aggravation of the " unemployed problem it was due to arrivals from Australia. and nob from Britain. The Government would not help this class of unemployed at the expense of New Zealanders. Since 1904 the immigrants from Great Britain included 1883 farmers and farm workers, 1660 navvies; and domestic servants. The total number of people who might possibly be considered la. influence the. labour market was 1967, which included some artisans, but the men were mostly farm labourers. : The total capital brought in by immigrants since 1904 was £389,660. He submitted that high rents were responsible for much of the suffering here. He was sure that the tremendous increase in the cost of building was out of proportion to the ratles of wages. The Government had tried to get land for workers homes but had been unable to secure it at reasonable rates. The Waterside 'Workers' Union should not have 600 men beyond the capacity of the wharves to furnish labour. The 600 should seek openings elsewhere. A man who said he was " one of the six hundred-" said he was willing to work at anything but could get nothing. The Premier replied that he would take the man's name. The Minister for Railways had said that he wanted men for railways and men were wanted for roads. The Wellington Labour Bureau had seventy names of unemployed on ife books, but all iliei men wanted road work. In Christchurch, Dunedin, Timaru and Auckland the position was not nearly so bad as it had been represented to be recently. The Government could not get! at Timaru more than seventeen men to go to the work that wins open to them.'The Government would do all in its power to assist men to gut employment.

CHRISTCHURCH, July 28. Out of forty-one men to whom passes to Broken River were .issued for use on today's train seven failed to use them. This morning only about half a dozen more applications for work were received at the Labour Bureau. Brigadier Albiston of the Salvation Army informed a reporter to-day that the anny had been endeavouring to locate the alleged distress referred to by the speakers in thie Square, but so far without succass. Tlih army officers were perefectly ready to do iill in their power to alleviate any deserving caws if they could only get in touch with them. The statements have baen made' that there were families in want of food and Brigadier Albiston states, that on Thursday arrangements will be made to dispense hot soup and provisions at the army head-quarters in Victoria street.