The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1886. THE LABOR MARKET.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2211, 4 February 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1886. THE LABOR MARKET.

Durino the past year the labor piurket throughout New Zealand has not been brisk, and in many parts of the colony depression more or less serious in. character has existed, Fortunately, in the Wairarapa it has been exceptionally good, but we are almost afraid that our turn to suffer is coming at last, Judging by present indications, work is not likely to be as plentiful in the ensuing winter as in was last season, Even now, at one of the busiest tiin.es. of the yeai, the supply of labor more than equals the dominijil, and as the fall of the year advances, this difference must become more marked, and it may possibly culminate'in » hard winter, In the ■ North Wairarapa 1 , railway construction, which has employed several hundred liandf) during the past few years has ceased, and even road contracts are few and far between. The folly of the Ministry in suspending the Bonds and Bridges Construction Aflt is being slowly but surely realized in tlija district, Big cities like Dunetlin and C&riatchurch may admire "Vogel and worship Stout, but in the country districts they deserve to be burnt in effigy. At any rate, we are crippled in road making in the Wairarapa by their reckless disregard of colonising necessities,. The conditions of existence for the working men are worse under Stout; and Vogel than ever they were under Atkinson, and this fact if it has not yet come home to those who earn their living by manual employment, will soon reach them, The only boon the working nmn'receives from the present Ministry is the new poor rate, and this is not intended so much to benefit them as it is meant to relieve the Colonial Exchequer from ha?iiig to meet uncomfortable demands Tor charitable aidWhat money theie is in ,the ExcJietjuer ig wanted by Ministers fpr the big salaries of their relations and .friends, who are .daily pitched in .the public service. We sea a pjn one day as a sort of political 'loafer, who® po man fps.t, but the n,ex ; t he fooconp & witjf hi? three, jfye; or eight jhuiyjW wpar frw %e RuWic purse, It is time we bfwj o poo?' Looking at the kmd of Government that is over us, working men will do well to look out for bad weather, and to take in sail as much an possible. The turned and ej#epnt of a popu*

lar election may take men's minds away from tlifl troubles which threaten them, but it will not cloar the clouds away. We have no wish to be ut prophst of evil, but the signs of a hard winter are apparent, and it would be utter folly to ignore them.