THE UNEMPLOYED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2562, 24 July 1909, Page 5

THE UNEMPLOYED.

DEMONSTRATION IN CHRISTCHURCH.

MV.U I’uichh Association.!

CHRISTCHURCH, July 23. At half-past 10 several unemployed leaders gathered at Cathedral Square with a spade and a banner inscribed vVe want work.” Soon a crowd gathered, and two constables joined the crowd, attracting more people. The constables asked for the ringleaders, and were told there was none, but that the*, men had combined to hold a demonstration for the purpose of obtaining work. The constables said that no procession could march without a permit from the City Council, and if t hey did march prosecutions would follow. The men decided to approach the Council. The officers informed them that no permit would be available for some days. Then they decided to parade the streets and chance arrest. One man said if he was put .in gaol the Government (would, have to keep him, which was just as well, as he was doing .nothing outside. The constables took Hie names of four men in the event of a procession being held. The men said a procession would happen in spite of the by-law. On returning to the Square a large crowd gathered, and one man, mounting a packing-case, said it was impossible to get a permit. The city inspector said a permit would be available if the Mayor was interviewed at 12 o’clock. The-men decided to apply for one, and if not granted to hold a procession all the same. It was decided to meet again at 2 q’elock. At noon a deputation waited on the Mayor and asked that lie would grant permission for the unemployed to hold a procession. Mr. Al.ison said that he would give the men permission to parade the streets, providing that the only banner thev carried was that marked “We want'work,” and also that the procession would be conducted in an orderly manner. On giving this assurance the men received a permit. At two o’clock there was a gathering of all sorts, mainly the idly curious, in Cathedral Square, and Mr. Kilgour again mounted the packing case, and spoke for some time regarding the problem of unemployment. A procession then began, a young man taking charge of. the banner. He and Mr Kilgour carried the poles, and, after waiting a few minutes, half a dozen enthusiasts marched off down Colombo Street, followed by a mixed crowd. They paraded several streets, and then returned to the Square, where another w was held.

This morning Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P., received a telegram from the ActingPremier. in reply To his request that the Government should help the Christchurch unemploved, stating that the Government could not subsidise local works, but that, as far as public works went, it was doing all that it could within the means available, to provide work. He added that be bad referred the matter of the Custom-house and the Summit road to the Minister of Public Works.

At a conference, convened by the Mayor, of representatives of the various agencies engaged in assisting to relieve the unemployed by giving monetary help or by finding work, a committee was set up of . representatives from social organisations to advise each other with regard to applications for charitable aid, so to prevent overlapping. A citizens’ committee was appointed to collect funds to provide work for the unemployed. _ The Mayor stated that to date 665 men had applied to the City Council for relief. Of these. 199 married' men and 18 single men had received relief, the majority getting one week’s work.

THE POSITION AT PALMERSTON NORTH. PALMERSTON N., July 23. There is considerable indignation here at the statements made that there is great distress and many unemployed in Palmerston. The local representative of the Labor Department declares tliat there is no real distress, and practically no unemployed here. The relieving officer of the Charitable Aid Board knows of no exceptional distress, and states that the roads are free from stragglers. The Borough Council decided on Monday to give relief work to thirty men. only married men to be taken. The choice was to be made today, when twenty-five men were chosen from those who presented themselves, and seventeen were rejected. Those chosen included several ratepayers, and were all local, while the rejects were mainly single men. The callers at the Labor Bureau have not numbered more than six- daily for some time, and two places for stumpers could not be filled.