Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1920. SHORTAGE OF LABOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2169, 28 August 1920, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1920. SHORTAGE OF LABOUR.

IX (lie course of a reply to a Taranaki deputation, at Wellington this week, whose mission avus to urge public works in that progressive province, the Prime Minister said the Government, local bodies, and private employees were suffering from the shortage of labour, and they could find employment, he fell, sure, for 25,000 good men. It was largely owing to Ihe fact that operations had been interrupted by 1 lie war. immigrants were Coming, Iml it would lake years to recover, and (hey would not gel back to normal lor some time to come-. The conndry was waiting for development; hut (hero was the difticnily. The Government was doing its duly to encourage immigration, and it had been folding to in that some thousands of the best type—the nominalcd inimigra nls—were waiting to come to the Dominion from England. The whole thing came - hack do money and men. lie could not meet all demands that were made on him. He believed he was not far onl in stating that ho had been asked by local bodies and others to provide a hundred millions. If the Government was able to provide 25 millions, ten millions of which were do repay a loan falling due oi I lie end of the year, it would ho doing (piile well. They hoped to he able to do that, lie did not Avish to sec development retarded, hut at the hack of his mind all the lime was the thought that neither the Government nor local bodies were getting full value for the money expended. The matter Avoiild not he remedied till (hey had a larger population and more men ready (o undertake the neeessarv work.