WINTER PROSPECTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 808, 4 May 1910, Page 6

WINTER PROSPECTS.

OUTLOOK FOR LABOUR. SOME FAVOURABLE SYMPTOMS. The Mayoral chair is always a good vantage point.for observing the ebb and flow of labour,, because when the waves of unemployment wax high they invariably wasli about its pedestal, and it devolves upon-tho Mayor to direct part at least of the rising waters into useful channels. The Mayor knows if times arogood or ■ times aTe bad by the number of applications that are mado to him for employment and the importunity of the applicants. It i 6 satisfactory to know, therefore, that tho retiring Mayor (Dr. Newman) takes a very hopeful view of the prospects for employment in the coming winter.

"The prospccts are not nearly so biul as they wore last year," the Mayor replied to a Dominion representative who sought his opinion on the subject yesterday. For this, Dr. Newman added, tliore were a number of causes. Last year, ho said, the depression took the people unawares, and a specially large number of carpenters, painters, builders' labourera, ana other workmen, who had collected in the city, were surprised _by the sudden cessation of large building operations. Many of these men have since left Wellington, so that this year there will not be the same competition for work. Last year, again, there was no Parliament sitting during the months of July, August, and September, and this meant that there wero -fewer people in Wellington to make employment. Then, .in the middle of last winter the Government's retrenchment -scheme came into operation, and numbers of clerks were thrown upon the labour market. Money is not nearly so tight this year, Dr. Newman states, and several large works are coming on. The City Council has in hand the construction of the Wadestown ; tramway, which will employ a largo amount ot labour, and Solomon's Knob dam is also being built. The Harbour Board is employing a number of men on reclamation works at Miramar and ThQrndon, the new Post Office is well under way, and there are other big buildings going up this winter which will give employment to many. Money is cheaper and more plentiful than it was a year ago, and as people are not 60 much worried in regard to overdrafts, it is probable that the expenditure by private persons will be slightly larger than it was last winter. Also, during April the exports of - the city have been very large, and probably they will be very large again for May, because the meat freezing, flax, and other industries are running later into the season, and this will mean more employment in connection with the Harbciur Board. Altogether, Dr. Newman thinks that the outlook for labour this winter is much more satisfactory than it was a year ago.