LABOR FOR AUSTRALIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2322, 15 October 1908, Page 1

LABOR FOR AUSTRALIA.

AMERICAN IMPOR TATIONS

'On the surface (says the “Pastoralists’ Beview”) there should be littlo connection between tlio visit of the American fleet and the Australian pastoral industry Hut, looked at more closely, it may be seen that the visit of our Yankee cousins may have peculiar significance in the future, and he of considerable importance in the working of our economic conditions. The chief difficulty, outside of dry seasons, with pastoralists is the labor difficulty, not so much as regards shearing, which, of course, is supplied more or less regularly every year liy. nomadic shearers, but rather fas regards general station iaboi'/ and Especially that for cultivation work. Many pastoralists would ‘"undertake fthe growing of fodder against dry seasons, ensilage, irrigation work, and so on, were reliable and fairly cheap labor available, whereas, in most cises, suitable labor is scarce, and the price demanded for it is exorbitant, ISO far, we i-we had to depend .largely on our own settlers and the rising generation for labor supplies. But latterly attention has been directed to the possibility of importing suitable men, and we have looked to Great Britain generally for the supply. The question arises whether we might- not do equally as well by importing American labor? The distance to be travelled is shorter, and the class of farm labor, especially from tlie "Western States, would be generally more suitable for our purposes, as the locil conditions and methods there more nearly approximate to our own. America is' accustomed every harvest to import thousands of laborers from Europe, who return there when the harvest is over. Why should we not import American labor for our harvests and shearing, which take place during tlieir winter, exactly at the time when .no labor is required there and their unemployed cry is loudest?