THE LABOR QUESTION IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 47, 16 December 1871, Page 7

THE LABOR QUESTION IN NEW ZEALAND.

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Some very valuable papers were laid upou the table of the House of Representatives during the last session, bearing upon the subject of the demand for labor in this colony. They consisted of reports furnished by the authorities of the various provinces in reply to a circular issued by the Colonial Government, requesting to be supplied with authoritative information upon the demand for labor of all kinds, the price of provisions, &c, for the purpose of having it forwarded to the Agent General in England. It will be interesting to the public to learn the results of these enquiries in the different provinces. The immigration officer at Dunedin says that 600 farm laborers can easily be absorbed every year, and an equal number of farm female servants and domestic servants. With regard to ordinary laborers he says, there is no demand unless for railway works, but that if such-works be carried on, 500 laborers would be required for the first year, but that mechanics will find their way in sufficient number without being assisted by Government. Married couples without families, or with grown up sons and daughters, " are always in demand," and 100 such couples could be " easily absorbed : ' during the year. The rates of wages, as given by the report of the Dunedin labor exchange, is as follows :—Bakers, 25s to 80s per vreek, and found ; blacksmiths and carpenters, 30s to 355, and found ; farm servants, £45 per annum, and found ; laborers, 6s per day ; female domestic servants, £25 to £35 per annum; female cooks, £4O to £SO •per annum; dairy maids, £4O to £45 per annum ; married couples, £6O to £65 per annum. The prices of provisions in Otago are moderate—for instance, bread is quoted at 6d to 7d the 41b loaf; beef, 4d to Od per lb ; mutton, 2d to 4d, and other articles of consumption at proportionate rates. In Canterbury the demand for labor does not appear to be so great. A moderate demand exists for blacksmiths, carpenters, bricklayers, and other artizans, at good wages. For example, blacksmiths get 10s per day; bricklayers and carpenters, 9s ; skilled labor of all kinds commands 10s per day. Farm servants are in good demand, which is increasing. Ploughmen receive £4O to £55 per annum, and found, if married, and £35 to £45 if single; farm laborers command about the same rates- Married shepherds get £4O to £55, and single ones £3O to £SO, and rations. *« A considerable and increasing demand exists for all classes of domestic servants (with the exception of housekeepers), and one hundred competent servants by each ship would readily find employment." Provisions are cheaper in Canterbury than in Otago, beef being from 2d to 6d per lb, mutton Id to 3d, bread 6d to 8d the 41b loaf. House rent, for 2 or 3 roomed cottages, 5s to 6s per week. The returns from Nelson embrace the goldfields of that province where the rate of wages is much higher thin in the settled districts, where, according to the report of the Inspector of Police there is no demand for labor except for domestic servants. The wages of the various classes of workmen appear to be about the same as in Canterbury, whilst provisions are little different. * <>n the gold fields very little farm labor is required, and the wages run about 30s per week and found, or 10s per day without. Blacksmiths receive £4 10s per week ; carpenters, 12s to 16s per day ; shoemakers, 12s; laborers, 10s to 12s; and miners on wages from 50s to £4 per week. Domestic servants are in demand at from 20s to 30s per week. Provisions, of course, are dear, but not proportionate to the additional wages that are paid. Laborers who can work in the mining claims " can always find employment at from £3 to £4 10s per week," is the report from Charleston. In some places carpenters obtain 20s per day, and other laborers in proportion, whilst in others the supply of all kinds of labor is.said to be in excess of the demand. In Westland there is a good demand for female servants at from 20s to 25s per week. Artizans of all kinds Obtain large wages, and laborers 10s per day. Provisions are lower than in the adjoining goldfields in Nelson. Bread

is 8d to Is the 41b loaf; beef, 6d to 7d per lb; and mutton, 5d to 6d. Other articles are little over the quotations in other provinces. The report from Wellington says there is a "considerable demand" for farm laborers and servants, domestic servants and ordinary laborers at good wages ; for instance — married couples, £45 to £6O perj annum, and found; single men, £26 to £4O, and found; artizans, 8s to 10s per diem. Provisions are nearly as cheap as in Canterbury—bread, 7d to 8d the 41d loaf; beef, sfd to od per lb ; mutton, 2d to 3d ; tea, sugar, &c, about the same as elsewhere. In the province of Hawkes' Bay there is a moderate demand for almost every class of labor; the wages ranging from 8s to 12s per day for artizans, and 5s to 7s for general laborers. Provisions are slightly dearer than in Wellington. In Auckland thereis no demand for farm and general laborers, but domestic servants are wanted ; artizans command from 7s to 14s per day, ordinary laborers, 4s to 6s. Provisions are dearer than in some of the other provinces—bread, 8d the loaf, beef, 3d to 7d, and mutton, 4d to 5d per lb, other articles in proportion. In Taranaki there is no special demand for labor: single men get from 4s to 5s per diem, or £1 per week, and good mechanic's wages range from 6s to 10s per diem. Domestic servants are in demand at from £2O per annum. Provisions about the same as in Auckland. The above is merely a cursory abstract of the returns alluded to, but it is sufficient, we think, to show that New Zealand not only offers great inducements to immigrants, but that a steady stream of immigration could be absorbed without unduly disturbing the labor market. With the necessaries of life infinitely below English prices, and wages four or five-fold the scale in England, surely there should be no difficulty in attracting laborers to our shores.