THE UNEMPLOYED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2572, 5 August 1909, Page 5

THE UNEMPLOYED.

A DEPUTATION AT DUNEDIN. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, August 4. This afternoon a deputation from the unemployed of Dunedin waited on the Hon. R. McKenzie. Mr. T. K. Sidey, M.P., introduced the deputation as one of single men. The Labor Department, he said, had shown consideration for married men and single men with dependents. The Department had done excellent work, but single men without dependents wanted to lay their case before the Minister. Mr. S. Borebam said there were at present over 200 single youim men out of work in Dunedin, most of them being natives of this place. (Flie Minister: They have not applied to the Labor Department. Mr. Borebam: Possibly not. I have the names of 174 single men on my list. A number of married men would not take work, say, at Catmi’s, as it would take them from their homes. The sin<de men should got a share of employment in public works. Preference to married men had .ej single men to say they were married and to take women of questionable character to places where they had been given employment. The Minister suggested that Mr. Boreham was quoting an extreme, and not a typical, case. Mr Boreham said that he couid quote several such cases. He hoped the (Minister would give Mr. LeCron instructions to employ some single men. After other members of the deputation had been heard, the (Minister said he was informed there were ia unemnloved on the Labor Department’s books, of \yhom-28 were married and 45 single. He would be prepared to give 30 of them work to-morrow on the Gatlins railwav with a proviso that married men with,” say, four children, should get preference. He would inquire if work could be found for the balance. THE POSITION IN WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, August 4. The total subscriptions to .the Citizens’ Unemployed Relief Fund amount to £I7OO, of which about £6OO has been expended. Among the latest subscriptions are £52 from the general post office employees, and £3l from the corporation employees. Advices received by the Labor Department from various parts of .the North Island indicate that conditions are gradually improving. Applications for farm laborers are being received daily.