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the labour from their own neighbourhood. For the purpose
of ascertaining the probable amount of work required, they
advertised for those seeking work, and willing to accept 4d.
per hour, to leave their names and addresses with the Board.
By this means the Board received about 185 names, and in
addition some 144 names were sent in by the different relief
Committees working in the neighbourhood; and the Board
were much relieved to find that the number of unemployed
in the District was not so great as was anticipated, the total
number of names received being only 329 out of a population
exceeding 75,000. Moreover, upon testing the lists, it was
found that very many, especially amongst the lists sent in by
the Relief Committees, had either obtained work or were not
willing to accept the Board's offer of 4d. per hour, e.g., out of
the first ten called to work only three put in an appearance
in answer. Nevertheless, the Board carried out and completed
seven New Streets, at a cost of about £3,800, thus
affording work to a large number of persons in the District,
and from an examination of the roads it would appear that
the work done was fully equal, if not superior, to the work
usually done by the Contractors.
At times of distress the public frequently call upon the
Local authority to provide relief works for the unemployed,
but it must be remembered that nearly all the work which a
Local authority, such as the Board, can provide, requires
skilled work, and that is not the description of labour which
is generally unemployed at times of distress, and that the
making of roads is about the only work which can be put in
hand with the view of meeting such need; and as the distress
generally arises in a hard winter, it must also not be forgotten
that, during severe frosts, road making cannot be carried
on.
DEPUTATIONS.
During the year the Board have appointed Members
to attend several deputations and conferences called for the
discussion of different questions affecting the general wellbeing
of the Metropolis.