Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5410, 30 July 1878, Page 2

A telegram from Now Plymouth, published in our issue of Saturday last, is confirmatory of the statements which have been repeatedly made as to tho satisfactory manner in which the largo numbers of immigrants who have been brought out to this colony within the past few years have been absorbed into the working population without any depreciation occurring in the rate of wages. Tho telegram referred to informs us that an influential deputation of Taranaki, settlers waited upon the immigration officer in order to ascertain “ what immigrants might bo expected here, to counterbalance the dearth of .labor.” The rate of wages for ordinary laborers in the district was stated to bo 7s. and Bs. per day, and that men were difficult to obtain at that price. There was also a great dearth of domestic servants. If was pointed out that tho railways nowin progress and iii contemplation would find employment for a large number of men in the ensuing summer. Mr. Webster pointed out that next season’s crop of grass seed was expected to be a very large one, and that there was a probability of much of it being lost for want of hands to gather in the harvest. Another gentleman present (Mr. Courtenay) stated that he had called for tenders for ploughing and for removing a building, but had received only two tenders for one job and none for the other. Ho had to pay men Bs. per day and feed them also, and he had “almost to beseech them to work at that price!” Another speaker at the meeting (Mr. Baylby) stated that 300 immigrants would find ready employment next summer in tho district. The Immigration Officer remarked that the immigrants who arrived by the Hurunui were all provided with.work in eleven days after their arrival. Tho officer undertook to bring tho matter under ,tho notice of tho Government. Prom tho working man’s point of view Taranaki must, bo one of tho most eligible portions of tho country, but throughout New Zealand the demand for labor at highly remunerative wages is one of tho loading social characteristics. What a very different picture.is presented of tho state of things in many parts of tho old country and in America, as depicted in tho journals received by the last mail. In those countries strikes, lock-outs, want of work, and great destitution amongst the laboring classes, —accompanied.unhappily in Lancashire withscones of riot, the calling out the military, and tho subsequent prosecution of numerous offenders in tho civil courts, —are prominent features in the daily history of the times. As far as England is concerned, her diplomatic success in averting impending war, and the almost certain prospect of peace being preserved for some years to come, have apparently drawn the attention of a large section of the people from the very unsatisfactory condition of the 1 British labor_ market. That one of the results of this state' of things will bo ultimately to draw both labor and capital'to these colonies, there can be very little doubt ; but in tho meantime it would seem as if there was such a dearth of labor in many parts of this colony as to call for a supply almost immediately. If the fact stated by ; tho Now Plymouth settlers at tho deputation referred to are proved to-the satisfaction of tho Government, as we presume they can bo, there should bo no hesitation on the part of the Ministry to resume, at all events to a limited extent, the system of immigration which has hitherto proved so beneficial to all parties concerned.