THE UNEMPLOYED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9308, 7 August 1908, Page 1

THE UNEMPLOYED.

♦ THE PETITION -TO THE PREMIER. LABOUR DEPARTMENT INVESTI- . GATIONS. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, August 6. The petition from the unemployed to the Premier has been considered by the Labour Department, and close investigation made. In its report the Department says: — There is considerable distress amongst carpenters and painters at present, though many who signed the petition have since obtained employment. In regard to cooks and waiters appearing on the list, they are unfitted for hard manual labour, and are more or less out of . work at any period of the year. Several men who signed were merely out of a job for a few days, as ordinarily happens in their j particular trades. The Chief Inspector says that apparently the petition was signed in most cases on persuasion of the persons who originated it. indeed, one of the prime movers admitted that many of the signatories were not bona fide unemployed, while in several instances men who signed the petition had no intention of taking work if it was offered. The following are extracts, showing the circumstances of some out of over a hundred cases investigated :— Porter, sing.c, New Zealand — Offered work by Department and refused .job at -Rongotea. Most abusive and police had. 'to. .bo telephoned for to quieten him. He has signed the petition in two places. Hotel hand— Landlady states that he went away yesterday to get married. J.M. — Says when he wanted work he 1 can -get it. Painter, single' — Confidentially informed by his Union secretary that he is too fond of painting his nose to spend much time painting houses. Labourer, single — 'Been out three months. Refused work on railway construction. Used mest abusive language when offered it by the Department's officers. Said to be employed in . SVag one of the organisers of the agitation. . H.S. — Gone to Napier for a holiday. K.W., labourer, married, sixty years of age, three sons working, does odd jebs cutting firewood, etc. — I<3 not anxious to get a start. Reckons it was time he was knocking off. Late Proprietor of Hotel—He couldn't work if he would. Labourer away from his lodgings at fme of visit — Landloid volunteered the information that he was a man who spent a good deal of time in the neighbourhood of the Queen's statue, implying that he was not over-fond of work. Labourer— No trace. Sergeant of Police treated the inquiry as a huge joke. Says R. has some property and doesn't want work, as it would interfere with his main occupation, drinking beer., ' .