THE LABOR QUESTION AT OAMARU.

Evening Star, Issue 3404, 19 January 1874, Page 3

THE LABOR QUESTION AT OAMARU.

We are indebted to the ‘North Otago Times’ for fuller information of the meeting of harvestmen called to c ’iisider the present position of the labor market in the district than was afforded by our telegram yesterday. The meeting was convened by a bellman, and at 3 30 p.m. fully 150 men had assembled on the cricket ground, and Mr Martin, as chairman of the committee, read the resolutions drawn up, and said that the committee were anxious to recure for them the utmost publicity. The resolutions were received with cheers, and, being put seriatim, were carried unanimously. Some one remarked, on the first resolution being put, “That means that Mr Menlove wants to run down the working men. You that are in favor of that view will vote for it.”—(Cheers, and every hand held up.) The resolutions were as follows : Ist. “ That the means proposed by Mr Menlove and others to secure a supply of harvestmen for the district of Oamaru, have led to a thorough impoverishment of other districts, and to the impoverishment of many men who have left employment in Dunedin and other districts of Otago.” 2nd. “That his Honor the Superintendent be respectfully requested to do all in his power to prevent the cessation of the railway works.” . 3rd. “ That copies of the foregoing resolu-: tions be forwarded by telegraph to his Honor the Superintendent, and that he be respectfully requested to acknowledge the receipt of tne Fame.” , There was an on dit current in Oamarn yesterday that it is proposed by Mr Mackay, Native Commissioner, to send down 500 Maori laborers for the harvest. We (‘ North Otago Times’) are unable to verify the correctness of the statement, but it it be true, and other arrivals continue, the labor market will be glutted, and emnloyment scarcer than labor has been.