The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. FRIDAY JUNE 19, 1885. GOVERNMENT LIFE WORKS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 18, 19 June 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. FRIDAY JUNE 19, 1885. GOVERNMENT LIFE WORKS.

The Borough Council is tci meet to-night, when we trust the Loan question will' be 'definitely and finally dealt with. It is to be hoped the Borough will lose no time incommencing the prosecution of works within, its, boundaries.. .2Qhe present time is particularly fayo|ir* able to the economical carrying out" of small contracts, as there are a considerable number of persons who would be glad to tender for work at modeijate rates m order to obtain employment for themselves and their teams! during the winter season. Wages are now lower, and work more difficult to procure than^is likely tp be the case for a. long- time to cbnVei; qfii6fly .owing to (he fact that njo cpntrajcte 0f •any'magnjtua'e tire beihg'pfoceedetl with m or-a^la-cent th the Borough. A resident, - who is; on a. position' to express a compejteM opinion, assures us that contracts will" be taken at the very least at an average of 25 per cent, lower than they would three months hence. 1 ! The ; same person has been through to Darievirke on tjie one side arid Marton on the- othei:,' j?ut could hear of nothing to ; go.in r |b.r. The cry was the Same wherever He went, Unemployed labour, and men and teams working for low wages." There, is no use m disguising 'the fact that there is very considerable depression m Palinerstim just now* and aigreat scarcity of money with all classes of the community. : if the working classes are not earning^goqd; wages; the tradespeople m|ist suffer both directly and indirectly. That this is the state of things mPalmerston at the present; time cannot. ;,be denied, and now the lioan 'difficulty is virtually got over, Snd jin i-a rrfbst satisfactory manner, it is to be iiiip'ed that Borough works will be put m hand forthwith, and pushed on vigorously. The effect will be experienced almost immediately m an appreciable amelioration , of. the existing depression, and the Borough would reap the benefit of having its works inaugurated' at an exceptionally favourable juncture, when the cost would be proportionately less than under different circumstances. Neither must the fact he forgotten|that within, the, next few weeks the Gorge contract will probably be tendered for, which will have the effect of' absorbing a large proportion of the available labour m the district, with the concomitant effect 6f raising wages, and increasing the. rate of tenders ! for all contracts. This feature should act as a further incentive to $he Borough Council to induce them to push^bh lYießi Works ..withpUjt: loss vf Jiine! -.* A { ygr^; ;^n r gratulatory and .quite unanticipated consummation has been attained with regard to the prelimlinaty negotiations for the Loan, and it. now remains for the Council .to lose no time m inaugurating some those works,! so essential to the progress and welfare of the Borough, tor the carrying out of which with the utmost expedition and efficiency, the Loan propdsals:were originally conceivedi \ < ■ . ', '• ■