UNEMPLOYED ON THE WHARVES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2246, 18 July 1908, Page 2

UNEMPLOYED ON THE WHARVES.

A GLOOMY OUTLOOK. [Special to “Times.”] / WELLINGTON, July 17. Mr. D. McLaren, secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Union, had a gloomy tale to tell a representative of the “Post” to-day of the large number of unemployed workers. “From what I have heard officially and otherwise,” said Mr. McLaren, “labor on the Auckland wharves is very much in excess of the demand, and here in Wellington to my certain knowledge the supply is 60 greatly in excess of requirements that acute distress jirevails apiong the workers. Let me tell you of but one specific instance that has come under my notice. A man with a wife and family earned last week only 12s. He was a little behind with rent—two weeks to be, exact- —and he has been ordered out by tlie landlord. He cannot get a place, and the prospects are that we shall have to help him. There are over 1600 active members omstlie book of the Union, and there is not work for. more.t'lian 1000 of them' at the outside. I have not known for years past the conditions of work on the wharves to be more depressed than they are this winter, never so many men seeking employent. It is pitiful t 0 realise that at tlie end of the week any of them will ouly have a few shillings to take. It is recognised that when, there is slackness of work elsewhere congestion: of the labor market follows on the wharves; 1 and this ntate of affairs obtains in every port in the Dominion, to a greater or lesser extent.