SUPPLY OF LABOUR TO AUSTRALIA. (From the Home News, June 2.)

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 673, 25 September 1852, Page 4

SUPPLY OF LABOUR TO AUSTRALIA. (From the Home News, June 2.)

The Earl of Derby received, on the 19th May, at his official l'esidence, Downing-street, the deputation appointed by the manufacturers of the West Riding to urge upon the Government the necessity of immediately sending out an adequate supply of labour to Australia. The deputation was introduced by Sir Charles Wood, M.P., and Mr. Denison, M.P. The following gentlemen attended : — Messrs. John Jowitt, jun., J. Austin, David Cooper, W. Holt, jun., Samuel Bud ell, J. Yewdall (Leeds), G. E. Domathorpe, T. Cook, 11. Ellis (Dewsbury), Gott, Williams, J. T. Armitage, J.West, E. Starenlagcn, T. Mallinson, J. Hurst, D. Bosconfz (Huddersfield), E. Akroyd (Halifax), W. E. I'orster, W. Murgatroyd, Titus Salt, J. Aked, G. Addison, W. Rand, W. Walker, J. Atkinson, W. Garnett, E Kenion (Bradford), R. T. Heape, Henry Kelsall (Rochdale), J. Brig (Keighley). Mr. Gott briefly explained the views of the deputation, and called his lordship's attention to the necessity of immediately sending out an adequate supply of labourers to Australia. Mr. Williams, in a lengthened statement, enforced the views of the deputation. Mr. Forster read some important communications, in which it was stated that shepherds were desorting in every direction ; that one person who had 20,000 sheep had only a man and his wife to attend to them ; another whith 8000 had only one man. Many cases equally strange could be stated. He felt it was unnecessary to remind his lordship of the inadequacy of this proportion of labour ; in fact, if labour was not promptly supplied the colonists would be obliged to boil down their sheep. He would urge upon his lordship the urgency of the case, because unle&s the assistance required was sent out in June it would be too late for the next clipping, and the injury that would ensue Avas incalculable. — Lord Derby regretted that Sir John Pakington was unable to attend, as he had some important business which detained him in the House of Commons. He (Lord Derby) felt the exceeding importance of the matter now brought under his notice by the deputation, and he could assure them that the desire of the Government was to deal with it so as to apply the best remedy in their power. The present state of things in Australia was not only remarkable but extremely embarrassing. The immense gold region, covering a space of 700 miles, was daily rendering greater and greater productiveness ; and, therefore, he felt that the temptation which withdrew labour from sheepfarming would most likely have its influence on those who might be sent out. His lordship read extracts from Governor Thorp's last despatch, in which his Excellency stated that the colonists preferred large numbers of emigrants to be sent out gradually to having them all at once. The Government had £170,000 at their disposal for tills purpose, which they intended to appropriate in sending out eight ships monthly for the next seven months. Assuming that each vessel would take 300, this would be 2400 a month, or 4800 in in time for the next clipping. It would be impossible to get shipping to carry the numbers which had been mentioned. The return freights would be small, and would not pay — even lately an advance of ,30 per cent, had taken place in freights to Australia. We must endeavour to send out an adequate supply of women. It will not do (remarked his lordship) to allow the sexes to go unmatched. After promising that the serious attention of the Government should be directed to the matter, his lordship concluded. The deputation then withdrew. A similar deputation waited on Sir John Pakington, at the Colonial-ofliee on the 21st May. In the course of his reply to the statements that were brought before him, Sir J. Pakington said that the despatches received from the Governors of Australian Colonies, and especially from Victoria, went strongly to impress upon Government the disorganisation which had followed the recent extraordinary discoveries. But it must be remembered the ci ibis was new and unparalleled, and from the enormous distance between this country

and the scone of those disclosures, independently of other coiihideiations, it was one very difficult to be dealt with. The military and naval protection sent out by the Government avus not so much intended, ab seems to have been supposed, to prevent desertion from ships as to picserve law and order. Gu\ eminent hoped also to be able to reestablish a police-force in the colony. With respect to emigration, they had received from the three colonies of Victoria, New South "Wales, and South Australia, a total sum of £318,000, to be dedicated to that purpose. The chief difficulty was not in finding emigrants but ships. .Even were it otherwise, was there not a risk that under the influence of the present extraordinary crisis the emigrants sent out might be drawn away to the gold diggings, and thus be rendered unavailable for the specific purpose the deputation had in view ? It was suggested by Mr. Forster that foreign ships might be allowed to engage in the emigration trade. The deputation then -withdrew, thanking Sir John Pakinsfton for the courtesy with which he had recehed them.