The Standard. (PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.) SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1874.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 123, 17 January 1874, Page 2

The Standard. (PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND SATURDAY.)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 1874.

" We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right: We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

The question of labor supply is becoming rather a serious item in our domestic and business economy. We do not refer now to the colony’s want; for it is a broad, colonial, question, and one to which the attention of economists camiot be turned too diligently. From all parts the oft’-re-peated announcement meets our eye that the laborers in the various vineyards of this colony are few,far too few; and that the supply cannot, or does not, keep pace with the demand. AH this is cheering as an evidence of material prosperty; and we join in the universal complaint with a view of attracting the notice of the two Governments which alone are in aposition to relieve pur necessities. The economy of the labor market Bee . ins hold, together by means which are practical in their action and efficacious in their results, viz., strikes and deputations, the latter generally being the natural consequence of the former. Strikes, however, as they do, from so many causes, and having, oftentimes, but little relativeness to the numerical strength or weakness of the labor market, do not always tell their own tale, and cannot at all times be considered a safe indication of the wants of bond fide labor employers. The strikes in this colony, so far as we have observed them, betoken both a dearth of the raw material which we call “ supply,” and a continuously-increasing demand for it, which the expansive progressiveness of a young and vigorous colony urgently requires should be satisfied, and that quickly: capital cannot move without labor, while labor depends on capital for its existence. Capital and industry are crying aloud in this district for labor; and, although employers are not suffering from the ’Aquences of chronic, and unrea-

sonable “*tri<eB,” they, nevertheless, are suffering from a kind of financial paralysis arising solely from the fact that they have not the necessary command of the labor market essential to enterprise and success. This brings' us to the next point. Deputations, which effectually represent the urgent requirements of the settlers, .are chief among the means at their disposal "for-securing temporary amelioration of present necessities. Deputations, too, are the correct and accepted form of bringing our wishes-into a focus which makes things easily discernible. A specific request, respectfully made, necessarily demands,. and .generally obtains, a specific answer; and, albeit we ave too far away from any recognized medium, to find relief in a personal deputation, we do not see why a direct application should not be made to the Provincial Goverment—say through our representative —for such immediate attention to this matter as can be conveniently given. The Queen of the Age is shortly to arrive in Auckland with upwards of 200 immigrants on board, a number of whom might be engaged to be forwarded to Poverty Bay, in such proportionate numbers as to “ occupation,” as may be suggested by those competent to form an opinion on the matter.