The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 12th 1869.

Dunstan Times, Issue 359, 12 March 1869, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12th 1869.

Beneath the Rule of Men entirely just the pen is mightier than the sword.

The necessity for following in the steps of San Francisco, and establishing such a highly useful institution as a Labor Exchange has been strenuously advocated by the Melbourne and by a portion of the Dunedin press. The success which has attended this new and rather novel feature if social life in California is sufficient evidence that its reproduction in Australia and New Zealand could not be otherwise than equally successful. Both countries are badly off for some thoroughly lecognised meai.s, to be acknowledged by both employers and those seeking employment, where they might be brought into contact, so that the necessities ot one party might bo supplied by the other, or where, we will say, labor and capital may be ex. changed like any other marketable commodity. Our American cousins are famous for new ideas, and no sooner do they conceive one than they put it into practice. They have, by their present movement placed labor upon its proper basis—that of a chattel article, and ono which, according to quality, is disposable at a certain money value. It invariably happens in all new countries that laborers and employers of labor are ever ready to meet with each other, but there is generally a difficulty existing in tie shape of a place of meeting, as well as no correct means of ascertaining the probable supply and demand ; consequently transactions, when made, are invariably unsatisfactory. Each party to the bargain feels that he has bought too high or scld too cheaply,

whilo numberless cases exist where negociations might have taken place which would have lead to results alike beneficial to the employed and employer could both parties have been brought together. This want has to some extent been supplied by private enterprise in the shape of labor offices or marts, and by the Government Immigration agents who assist new arrivals; but each of these aids is of a very Unsatisfactory character and by no means reliable. Ther operations are very desultory, and as a rule are looked upon rather as a denier resorte, than a means of supplying a legitimate want. The Labor L 'xchange established v San Francisco is an institution recognised by the State, and, as it were acts under authority. Consequently it« assistance is sought by all'classes of society, by skilled and unskilled laborers, artificers, assistants in mercantile establishments, and even where great technical knowledge and confidence is required, in fact, almost every service for which payment in money is required, is by this institution supplied. The next useful feature in the working of this Labor Exchange is, that annually its transactions are puidished and circulated throughout the northern states of the great Republic, likewise in England and on the Continent of Europe, Such a process as this only requires extending to prove of immense advantage in the' introduction of population toonr colonies) as by these published returns theskilled and unskiled laborer or artificer desirous of emmigrat ng, can at once form a correct idea of the remuneration his services will bring, and, by the numbers

employed, he can arrive at something like an estimate of the demand there exists for his particular branch of industry, consequently, he will seh ct that place which appears best suited to his purpose, and on arrival at the place of debarkation, lands with the confidence of a man having in possession a marketable article, and which only requires to bemade known to find a ready purchaser. This necessity is at once supplied by the Labor Exchange, and we acquire, at no cost whatever to the country, a valuable colonist, who comes to us upon his own accord, and is in every way capable of depending upon his own exertions for success, consequently better fitted for colonial life thanimmi ;rant who come out by means of assisted passages, and whom we have almost to cajole into exchanging poverty for comparative affluence.

As a field for immigration, Otago presents attractions unsurpassed elsewhere. It Certainly does not represent the whole of New Zealand, still it forms an importantportion of it, while at the same time, from the peculiar conformation of the country and indigenous products, it may be said to be almost selfsupporting; it contain s within itself the very essentials of prosperity —supply and demand—and where such exists, labor can always make sure of finding aremuuerative field of employment. We have a considerable portion of the population engaged in the pursuit of mining for gold, these, as a matter of course, are all consumers, consequently the necessi. ties which they require, afford employment to a large number of persons immediately resident on the goldfields, while gold mining as an industry admits of such development that even the most sceptical freely acknowledge it to be only in its in fancy, and we may rest fully assured, that as an increase of labor and capital find our shores, so will operations connected with gold mining be extended. No difficulty wh itever exists with respect to the quantity of gold obtainable, it is the means of obtaining it which is wanting ; comparative* ly speaking, gold is almost everywhere impregnated with the soil, and there exists abundant mechanica 1 power for its disintrogation, its utilization only being necessary. The pastoral interest is in a like flourishing condition the late fall in the price of wool may certainly haare caused a slight depression, but it must be recollected that this article of export has, through a ’.•ariot'j oi fortuitous r.roaaitaae ca

been for the last ten or twelve years much above its actual Value, it could not therefore be other than expected, but that a minimum must bo reached some day ; such is now the case, and notwithstanding which, the loss has been in a great measure compensated for, by improved mechanical appliances for preparing it for market, and we imagine that the exercise of a little more economy in management on the part'o'f station holders will supply any deficiency that may yet remain. Copper at no distant day, will become a consideiable article of e>port, to accom plish which, it only requires a further development, of our coal fields and increased facilities for transport between the interior and the seaboard In the matter of grain, our exports must necessarily be limited. The area of land available for tillage is not large, and local consumption will require almost all that we can produce, thi however must be looked Upon in the light of a positive advantage, the growing of wheat for exportation is a most exhaustive process, while as a branch ot industry where the market is distant and unertain, the producer is but poorly remunerated for his labor. Other products now partially or wholly neglected, either indigenous to the soil, or which can ! e raised by cultivation, and available as articles for exportation or home consumption, will still further find employment for the immigrant and extend the field for the investment of capital, so that looking at our prospects even in the most unfavorable light, the Conclusion only becomes the more satisfactory, that a« a field for immigration, Otago is the most promise g. We must no longer, now that we have been shown the way, “ let our light shine under a bushel ” but at once seek to acquaint dei sely populated Europe, how easily we can absorb, and wliat advantageous employment we can furnish to its superabundant population. This infor-

motion supplied on relia' le data, will prove an immense attraction to intending immigrants, and thousands will seek our shores who noyv scarcely possess the remotest knowledge of us. A Labor Exchange has proved itself to be tlie readiest means of disseminating information as to the best fields for immigrant labor yet discovered ; let us therefore avail ourselves of its uses, and proceed at once to impress upon our representatives in the rovincial Council, the necessity for taking measures for the immediate establishment of one of those useful Institutions in Otago.