WHY WE HAVE UNEMPLOYED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 8

WHY WE HAVE UNEMPLOYED.

To the Editor. Dear Sir, —The following is a typical example of why we will always have the unemployed with us. A builder having a sewer laid wished the Job expedited and decided to put on an extra man. He went to the unemployment bureau and, seeing a number of men about, looked them over and chose what he thought would l?e a suitable man. The man started on the job and when later in the day the builder was paying his men the man asked if he could have something on account. The builder gave him 10s and as the man’s time was up at 10 o’clock next day the builder left 6s with the foreman to pay out. In the meantime the excavation needed filling in before- nightfall, and when the man was asked to put in an extra half hour (for which he would have been paid) he declined. To cap the matter the fellow failed to put in an appearance next morning to finish off two hours' work and collect the 6s. He is probably now ruminating on the hardships of life or is pouring a pitiful tale into the ear of a sympathetic labour secretary or M.P., who will note his case as a further argument for the dole system.—l am, etc., HARD LABOUR.