SURPLUS LABOUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5500, 27 February 1896, Page 2

SURPLUS LABOUR.

THE ADJOURNED MEETING. At eleven o'clock this morning, when the. deputation of the Surplus Labour.' League again met the local M.H.R.'s, there-were upwards of fifty men assembled. Messrs J. Joyce, W. W. Tanner, G. TV. "Russell, G. J. Smith and C. Lewis, M.H.R.'s, were present. Mr Joyce presided, and on. Mr Russell's suggestion the whole of the men were admitted to take part in the proceedings. Mr Powell produced a list of signatures, which he said had been collected during yesterday, and which he could guarantee as correct. It showed 130 men- out of: work, with 415 persons dependent upon them. After som'e discussion the men retired, leaving a deputation of seven to consider the best method of representing to.* the Government their requirements. Amongst the schemes which appeared to find favour with the M.H.R/s and with the deputation was :— Work at the Springfield end of the Midland Railway line, a State farm foraged persons, the placing i of old mt/n on railway reserves and assisted village settlements. It was specially pointed out by the members that the provision of. work on the Midland Railway was the only scheme that could be the means of immediate relief. After the deputation withdrew the following letter was drafted to be sent to the Premier by to-night's mail : — " The Hon the Premier, Wellington. ! "Dear Sir, — As members of the House of Representatives representing the City and Buburbs we have been requested to bring before you and the members of the Cabinet the state of the labour market in this locality. By request we met a deputation from the Surplus Labour 'League, on Tuesday .last, and discussed the matter, and in order. to place in your possession the fullest information of what took place at that meeting we forward by this mail copies of the Press reports. From statistics supplied this morning we are informed that there are, at present, at least 130 men out of work n the city and suburbs who have 415 seuls dependent on them, and in view of the fact that the harvest operations are almost over, this number will, we are informed, be largely increased during the next few weeks. We understand that the local bodies will decline to undertake any responsibility in the matter this winter, as owing to the heavy burden, laid upon them during the last two winters, their overdrafts have increased, to a large amount, and in some cases are almost up to the limit allowed by law. Under these circumstances we place the matter imthe hands of the Cabinet, and request' that the present position of the men now out of work be fully and promptly considered, and that something be done, at once to meet the difficulty at present existing,- and prevent its becoming more acute. We are unanimously of opinion that a portion of the funds at the disposal of the : Government for the construction of the Midland Railway should be at once expended at the Springfield end on the co-operative system. Other directions in which 1 jelief could be provided would be : (^) . The establishment of a State farm in Canterbury to absorb the aged men. (2) The location of men on the unoccupied lailway reserves. (3) The establishment of village and homestead settlements in Canterbury. We trust this matter will receive your prompt and earliest attention. We forward herewith the list of names supplied to us:" ■'• • .