The Feilding Star, Oaoua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. FRIDAY. APRIL 10, 1896. THE UNEMPLOYED.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 236, 10 April 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oaoua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. FRIDAY. APRIL 10, 1896. THE UNEMPLOYED.

o From a number of sources we learn that the unemployed difficulty will assume startling if not alarming pro portions during the winter now close at hand. Already in this district very considerable numbers of men are on the outlook for work which thay c;innot find. The cause of the lack of employment in the country districts is alleged to be "insecurity of tenure" preventing owners of laud expending money on improvements. This feeling is especially prevalent among sheep farmers who believe they are looked upon by the Government as " Social pests " that or.ly deserve to be harried and taxed. They m;ty be wrong, but still that is the " faith that is in them " and nothing will drive it out. In this respect the Napier Telegraph asks : — What are the facts ? Simply that for five years the colony lias been going from bad to worse, and doing so because of legislation that could not have cramped to a greater degree the industry and intelligence of the people if it had been specially designed to that end. Iv consequence trade has languished, property has declined in | value, employment has been scarce, j and wages have dropped. The Govern? ' merit have made mistakes because they lacked political foresight, 'they have j supposed that to hinder nccujiiuiation j ;of wraith by repressive enactmei ts was to remove poverty. It is eaty

enough for any party to hinder accumulation, but by so doins: they add j to poverty. For nothing is more cvi- \ dent than this— that he who accumulates does so either to enjoy what he has accumulated, or else to use it as a means to further accumulations. But in either case he must diffuse his accumulations. If he enjoys them as he makes them he must be an employer of labor whether he likes it or not. A demand for commodities is a demand for the labor which produces them. On the other hand, if he is saving, his accumulationt get into the hands of bankers, who lend them out at interest, and thus the wages fund is again swelled. It is by their unfair and repressive class legislation that the Ministry have injured the country. They have supposed that they could strike at the employing class without injuring the class seeking employment. That is uhy the country has gone from bad to worse during the present administration. There is no hope held out that during the coming session there will beany amelioration of the condition of the working classes, for the only remedy the, Hon. Mr HallJones could suggest to them was that they should throw themselves on the Charitable Aid Boards. Seeing that these Boards are supplied with funds voluntarily subscribed (by a rate) by the owners of house property and lands, the honorable gentleman evidently desires to put another burden nn thrift and industry.