Untitled

Star (Christchurch), Issue 700, 20 August 1870, Page 3

Unemployed Workmen's office, Gloucester street, Aug. 20. E. J. Wakefield, Esq., Hon. Sec. of the Committee of Unemployed Workmen, Christchurcb. Dear Sir,— Having accepted Borne employment, which will involve my absence from Christchurch for probably about six weeks, I am compelled to-day to resign my duties as chairman of the committee. I add the following remarks, in the hope that they may, by means of application from you to the Press, obtain publication. Yesterday morning you obtained from the Provincial Secretary the important concession that workmen accepting employment from the Government, on the terms specified at our interview with them and the Mayor on the 17th inst., should be furnished with rations at the Government contract price — namely, sixpence farthing for a daily ration of lib bread, lib meat, lib potatoes, _oz tea, 2oz sugar, £oz salt — all bound to be of tbe best quality. On this scale, five single men, uniting in a mess, might take' a house at 5s per week, and with lewt of coal at 3s, and 2s worth of wood, might bring their actual expenses for board and lodging, including soap for washing, and lights, witbin 6s per week eacb. If lucky in tbe weather, and earning a full week's wages, they would have 12s per week each towards shoes and other clothing, bedding, ani cooking, washing, and eating utensils — or so much less, as one or more rainy days in the week might diminish that balance. The case of a married man with a family is more difficult. With a wife and one child, he will get 3s 3d a day ; two ohildren, 3s 6d; three, 3s 9d; four, and over, 4s. He can hardly get decent shelter for less than 5s per week ; fuel, not less than the fire single men, for women and children require warmth indoors on cold or wet days to save them from illness— that is 5s more. Take the probable average cise of a married man with three children Detween one and twelve years old. He would be, I presume, entitled, if he chose, to draw 3J rations— one each for Belf and wife, half ration for each child— costing bim 1 2s 9d a week. Thus rent, fuel, and food would amount to 22a 9d : whereas his wages, even for a full week— no bad weather or illness intervening— would be only 22s 6d, or 3d short, besides leaving no provision for soap, lights, shoes, and other clothing for fire souls, bedding, or household utensils of any kind. I presume that, in oase of illness, the Government would provide attendance, advice and medieine. Even then, I am at a lose to perceive how the married men with families could make both ends meet. Pray ascertain whether the Government rations will be supplied on the days when bad weather may prevent the earning of the wage; whether Government can provide any work under cover on wet days ; and what will be done in any case if the wages earned during the week do not amount to tbe debt for rations issued. As I know I shall fall in with a large number of unemployed workmen in the rural districts I am about to visit, I wish to be able to lay before them the whole bearings of the Government's offer of temporary assistance in order that tbey may judge whether, if pushed by urgent need, they had better proceed to Christehuroh to avail themselves of it, or apply to the Government to extend similar aid to the unemployed in the country districts. If the Government could offer to the men with families out of employment cheaper lodging than they can obtain of the same quality -from private landlords, and fuel as cheap and good as that which blazes so merrily in the Provincial Council library where tbe deputation was received, and in the other Government offices, together with the use of cooking and washing accommodation, much of the difficulty might be smoothed over. It, as I fear, the present limited offer of aid should fail sensibly to relieve the existing distress among working-men's families, the 167 assisted immigrants, and other steerage passengers who have paid their own passages, in tbe Monarch, already 85 days out, will find but a sorry state of things on 'their arrival — similar to that state which recent telegrams inform us has been brought under the notice of the Deputy-Superintendent of Otago by immigrants recently arrived tbere. The Immigration Officer advertises for applications from persons desirous of employing these expected immigrants. Thb arrangement might surely with justice be extended to the unemployed already in the province. In short, the Government should keep a better register than that kept by , our committee. Their superior means of information and record would enable i them also to register the antecedents and capacity of each applicant, and the extent to i wbich employment the wives and children of . married applicants can be made available ; for the maintenance of the family, without > detriment to the cleanliness and good health : of all, or to the educational needs of tbe : younger branches of it. To gather these ; important particulars is beyond the very ' limited means of a volunteer committee, con- , sisting of men out of work. During my absence, and on my return, I , shall not omit to aid the objects of tbe comt mittee by every means in my power; for even though able to obtain employment

myself, I feel sincere sorrow for the distress of those whe cannot get it, and more especially for the women and children. I trust tbe committee will find you some equally willing and more able coadjutor in my place ; and, indeed, tbat all, whether employed or not, will assist you to the best of tbeir power in the arduous, melancholy, and somewhat invidious task in which you and I have hitherto been associated. I shall acquaint you from time to time with my address, and with that of other workers in the cause, in order that information ou the subject may be freely exchanged between us all. I am, dear sir, faithfully yours, James McPherson, Chairman of Committee.