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Dunstan Times, Issue 936, 26 March 1880, Page 2

Amongst the many remedies proposed to relieve the necessities of the unemployed, of whom so much Is heard, a most profitable field for profitable labour has as yet escaped the notice of all concerned. The Held we refer to is the interior, where labor is scarce and work comparatively plentiful, and it is a source of no little wonderment to us that the Government have taken no steps to draft a portion of the surplus population of the seaboard towns into the interior. The interior, more especially the gold-fields, are so fertile in resources, that a limited number drafted up periodically would easily and readily be swallowed up, and we maintain that it is the duty of the Government now that they have brought to the country—these men who they say are in want of work—to put them in a position to get it, and the readiest way of doing that, we hold is to send them up Country. We can readily imagine the look of wonderment that will overspread the countenances of many on reading this advocacy, and shall expect to be questioned as to our sanity, but we are prepared for anything, and everything that may be said. We are alive to the fact, and so must be all, who have ehe well being ot the Country at heart, and who know anything at all of the subject, that for the want of population every industry in the interior is languishing, and that many works would bo proceeded with if labor at anything like a reasonable rate could be obtained, and we further know that for the want of population, the rabbit pest is spreading with such alarming rapidily that, really if some active measures are not taken, they'will sook have the entire possession ot the country. The falling off in the carrying capacity ot a piece of country from 24,000 to 14,030 sheep in 3 years, and this was stated this very week before the A ssessment Court, is fact sufficient to advance in support of what we say. In the extermination of this pest alone—in the infected districts hundreds of men could find ready and profitable employment either in distributing poison, or shooting them. The question is one worthy of consideration, and we hope it will be acted upon. If the cry is sincere about the distress and want of work, we have pointed out a channel whereby a “ few hundreds " can be relieved.