UNEMPLOYED CHINESE AN AUCKLAND SCHEME POSITION IN WELLINGTON

A community garden scheme is proposed as a means of providing work for tho unemployed Chinese of Auckland, states an Auckland message. An assurance has been given by the Unemployment Board that the necessary wages will be found, although the basis of payment has not yet been fixed. The Rev. W. W. Chan, who has gone to Auckland from Wellington, is taking the initial steps of organising the workless Chinese in Auckland, who are estimated to number more than 200, and he is hopeful of the scheme being proceeded with as soon as possible. He said that there were 400 unemployed Chinese in Wellington, and in dealing with the problem there they had the co-operation of the Unemployment Board and .the Mayor of Wellington. "There are. two tongs in Auckland," said Mr. Chan, "and my object is to try to bring thorn together. In any case, when a man is hungry he forgets all about tongs." On inquiry being made at the Unemployment Board's office in Wellington today it was stated that no information was at present available as to the possibility of a garden scheme similar to that proposed for Auckland being introduced locally. Mr. Yue H. Jackson, Vice-Consul for China, told a "Post" reporter that the number of unemployed Chinese in Wellington is between 150 and 200. The Chinese community here numbers about 500, including women and children, and in --normal times employment is provided in laundries, fruit, silk-, and fancy-goods shops, market gardens, and Chinese restaurants and provision shops. At present practically all of those out of work are living with friends or relatives in shops or laundries giving their services in return for their keep. Naturally they are anxious to secure regular employment, but during the winter months work is scarce in the occupations suited to them. In the summer time there is work for them, in the market gardens, and trade in the shops is brisker. Chinese are eligible for relief work on the same basis as Europeans. In a number of cases of hardship the Chinese Conciliator has successfully applied to the Commissioner of Unemployment for exemption from payment of the unemployment levy. The Mayor of Wellington has given the use of two shops in Taranaki Street belonging to the City Council to Chinese who have no place of abode, and those premises are being used as shelters. "The Chinese community in Wellington lives very happily together," Mr. Jackson added. "The more fortunate ones are doing their best to help those who have been hard hit. There are district associations in the community but no tongs."

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 134, 8 June 1934, Page 7