The Government and the Unemployed.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1863, 28 July 1886, Page 2

The Government and the Unemployed.

Tee Government appear to be almost helpless in dealing with the grievous distress of the unemployed at Auckland and Dunedin. The subject was mooted in the Legislative Council the other day, when the Hon Mr Menzies asked the Colonial Secretary whether Government would take into consideration the propriety of organising some mode of giving outdoor relief, in the shape of food or otherwise, and with or without the condition of the labor test te persons who are unable to obtain employment otherwise, and to their families. Mr Buckley, the Colonial Secretary, gave no satisfactory reply to this question. He said he had had an interview with the Minister of Public Works in respect to finding some work for persons who were at present unemployed. The subject had given him a great deal of anxious consideration, and ho was doing his best to provide such work as would afford to distressed persons some temporary relief. As to relief in the shape of food, the Government had no machinery through which it could dispense such relief, even if it were disposed to do so. But tho Government would do everything in its power to assist the unemployed by giving them such work as might be in its power to give. This practically means that the Government will do little or nothing to give work to husbands and fathers, and to prevent many hundreds of women and helpless little children from starving. Yet Mr Buckley and his fellow Ministers each draw some £ISOO a year, besides house allowances and a variety of other perquisites ; while every member of “ the big talking shop ” gets £2OO a year by way of honorarium. Why don’t some of those hon Ministers and Legislators sacrifice a portion of their pay to aid a subscription for the relief of the hundreds of their starving fellow creatures in this colony who are crying out for work and bread ?