The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JULY 27, 1906. LABOR PROBLEM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1819, 27 July 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JULY 27, 1906. LABOR PROBLEM.

iT wo Australian journalists wlio are touring New Zealand, and are now on their way to Gisborne overland from Napier, have not been loDg in the colony ere they have boon giving critical opinions of the situation in regard to labor, and the best of it, or perhaps we should say the worst of it, is that there is good reason to believe that they are right in their opinions. Ihere must generally be a feeling of of uneasiness as to what is to become of all the unskilled laborers who have been induced to come to New Zealand in the belief that it is a paradise of labor. There is no question that while

tho country is iu a prosperous oondi tion tlioso who are able to rotain tho support of unionism, arbitration, conciliation, and otlior advantageous laws—with tho selfVavowod socialist, Mr Trogoar, at tho lioad of affairs—will havo a good timo. What will happen when the bad times come in tho ordinary cyclo cannot be prophesied ; tho hopo of all must bo that it will bo long ero anything of that kind coiros about. “ Regarding the labor conditions,” procoods an article contributed to tho Napier Telegraph by tho visiting journalists, “ wo found good reason to doubt tho accuracy of tho nssoition so often repeated abroad that there are no unemployed in New Zealand. Wo found many men looking for work in Wellington, and we also found them in tho country. Those in work wore receiving higher wages on tho whole than their fellows in tho Commonwealth, but still employment was hard to obtain.” The journalists did not merely jump to conclusions and make a damaging statement without enquiring into matters. They sought an explanation, and state : “In explanation of this all too patont fact wo wore told that it was the slack timo of tho year and that work will be plentiful in a month or two. This appears to bo a porfoctly reasonable explanation, and if it is tho question may bo asked, Why do the authorities give currency to the impression that work can always ho obtained in Now Zealand for the asking ? Tho majority of emigrants from Australia —and no doubt from otlior places too—start out with tho idea that thoy caunot fail to obtain remunerative employment in New Zoaland. Too ofton, unfortunately, they find that the seekers for work havo a battle to fight hero as well as elsewhere —particularly if thoy happen to arrive in the slack season.’' Tho articles then asks : “Would it not be bettor for the Government to distribute information as to tho best timo for workers of various grades to come to the colony and tho centres in which employment is most likely to be plentiful ? A little critical examination of the ways and methods of the Government Labor Bureau, with a view to improvement, might not be amiss. At present there appears to be somo risk of creating an unemployed difficulty by inducing men to come here at an inopportune time or before the country is ready for their absorption. The Government prescription of navvying on the Main Trunk line will not prove an effectual remedy in all cases ” The real difficulties will begin when a brake, through one cause or another, is placed on public expenditure, and many men are thrown on the resources of the community. Tho warnings that have been given will help to stave off the trouble, and possibly prevent it altogether ; but it is certainly time that the erroneous statements by which laborers are being misled should be checked.

A PLEASING EEPOET. It has been often said that there is no surer gauge of the depressed or prosperous condition of the colony than the Savings Bank returns, indicating as they do the monetary condition of the people generally. Our telegrams today show that for the J une quarter there was a substantial credit balance in regard to the amount of deposits over withdrawals. The excess of money given to the safe keeping of the State over that withdrawn for various reasons was £302,532. The total deposits was £2,007,75L and the withdrawals £1,755,212. Of course it must be remembered that these returns are for the autumn and winter season, when there is a general saving up for pleasures to come in tne happy summer days, and no doubt many a pound put by'on a rainy day—not for the rainy day—will be spent when the season’s change for brighter weather, But a people who do this will always bo on tho safe side. A well-spent holiday should never be begrudged, and if some of those who added to their savings last quarter have in mind, say the Show quarter, for the spending of a little extra, tho fact that thoy have tho -forethought to so prepare is to their credit. It is a very pleasing thing to note that there is at present such a substantial balance in favor of depositors.

LIQUOE EESTEICTIONS. Ot'R telegrams this morning announce a very important step taken by the Cabinet, and one that should give groat joy to our prohibition friends. It has been decided under the regulations of tho Act of 1904 that Maoris must not be supplied with liquor for consumption off the premises in native districts mentioned, which is explained to be “roughly the Upper Waikato, the King Country, Taupo, Bay of Plenty, and Poverty Bay." The step taken has no doubt been on representations made this week in regard to the cases heard at Te Aw amutu, where provision of tho kind has been shown to be necessary. That such prompt action should have been taken, and made to affect the wider area than that souht to bo included in the list, is an evidence of the sympathetic disposition of the present Premier towards such subjects. We are not aware that there is much carrying of bottles of liquor done by natives in this district ; most of those who might be inclined that way are too eager to carry all they can in another way without providing for future contingencies.