The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY APRIL 5, 1882.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1041, 5 April 1882, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY APRIL 5, 1882.

The New Zealand Industrial Gazette in a recent issue asserted that it.Jieard on all sides of the demand which exists at the present time, especially in Wellington, for skilled labor. "Cabinet makers and joiners, boot and shoe makers, saddlers and harness makers all complain that business is retarded owing to the scarcity of capable hands; and advertisements may be seen every day in the papers offering good wages to qualified men." "This state of things (says our contemporary) is no doubt partly accounted for by the fact that harvest operations have absorbed a large number of hands who would be otherwise available for the various factories, but it is not wholly explained in this way. There is a noticeable revival of trade throughout the colony, and as emigration to Australia on the part of our artisans has during the last two years taken the place of immigration, the demand for labor has outrun the existing supply. This is a matter which deserves the serious attention of Government, and we trust that speedy, measures will be adopted to remove such a hindrance to the development of that prosperity which certain indications tell us is coming to-make amends for past .depression. It is not enough that the tide of- passenger traffic between here and'Aus ; tralia is now setting back to our shores. The question of immigration is one that will have to be faced in the coming session." It does not follow that because a few years back the immigration department flooded the colony with inferior and useless labor that we are to abandon the introduction of suitable colonists. We cannot for many years have too many well to do small farmers arid first class agricultural laborers coming to our shores, and every effort should be made to encourage immigrants of this stamp. Let us leave cabinetmakers and joiners, boot and shoemakers, and saddlers, for their own proper trades, unless they prefer permanent employment as agricultural laborers, and replace them with suitable bone and muscle from the home country. The supplies from home should as far as possible be men fitted for an active outdoor life rather than mechanics and artizans.