100 years ago

There is growing evidence from all parts of New Zealand that unemployment is gradually increasing. The workless are now flocking to big centres, such as Wellington, and even Sir Francis Bell, who a few days ago scouted the idea of there being any more unemployment than usual, is now making preparations to meet the increase in unemployment. It is absurd to argue that there are not more people out of work to-day than there usually is at this time of the year. The evidence produced is sufficient to show that during the past twenty years the number of unemployed has not been so great as to-day. The Government Employment Bureau in Wellington is now besieged daily by an everincreasing army of workless men, while in Auckland the position in to lack of employment is becoming very serious. Cabinet is now beginning to realise that it was formerly mistaken in regard to the position, and is turning the expenditure of public money into those channels which will absorb as many unemployed unskilled labourers as possible.

— Supplied by the Wairarapa Archive