GOLD PRODUCTION. UTILISATION OF SURPLUS LABOUR. Auckland July 23.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 388, 27 July 1889, Page 5

GOLD PRODUCTION. UTILISATION OF SURPLUS LABOUR. Auckland July 23.

A uj;ltim; of poisons interested in preventing the exedous. of population from this colony by providing v/orlc of a reproductive character \v:i? held at the Industrial Association Kooms, Wynd-ham-sUect, yesterday attcrnoon. Captain Col beck, who occupied tho chair, refeirecl to the importance of 1 etaming our population from leaving bhe colony, sinri to the desirability of doing something in the direction indicated. Mr Bennett moved, 11 That this meeting is ot opinion thab tho exodus oi the industiial cla'-seb from Hie colony can and should bepi evented by providing work of a lemuncrativc character, and that the proposal to utilise the energies of working men id producing gold at the least possible co-^t to the country is a .scheme worthy ot being earned into practical eflect by tho Government." He expressed i egret that the exodus of working men from this colony was continuing, and stated that last month no less than 500 persons left the colony. Mrl<\<:. Eurlnpfton looked upon it as a serious thing that so many of our population wcie leaving us. When they thought ot the lesources of this country it was evident that nothing but the gro.-,s6bt mis management could have brought the present state of things aboub. Ho suggested that the present meeting should be only an initiary step to the cullin,. »f a public meeting, tho voice of which would bo bound to be heard. Mr Witheford stated that he had telegraphed to one of the leading men in Dunedin asking his opinion as to the feasibility of the proposal, and the reply recehed was that Obago would support Auckland in giving the proposal a moderate test. Mr R. Hunt also spoke in support of the resolution, which was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr Ewington ib was resolved, "That a committee consisting of His Worship the Mayor, Captain Colbeck, Messrs W. S. Wilson, H. M. (Shepherd, and J. H. Wibheford, be appointed to forward the foregoing resolution to the Government, and to take steps to call a public meeting to advance Mr Witheford's project." Mr Bennett seconded the resolution. Mr Macky said the resolution did no* go far enough, and a suggestion was made that the words " and any other interests that affect the welfare of the country." Mr S. Vaile said that many of the unemployed knew as much of gold -mining ac they did about tho moon, and ho considered it absuid to call a public meeting solely with the object of utilising surplus labour in this direction. Mr J. M. Shepherd urged that the schemo i was only intended to apply to persons capable of employment at gold-inining. Mr Ewington pointed out thatprivafco individuals were making mining pay at the , present time, and that hundreds of miners were now taking out of the goldfields here as much as thousands of miners obtained a few years ago. The resolution was put and earned, and the meeting terminated. m