The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, APRIL 15,1886. THE WAGES QUESTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2271, 15 April 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, APRIL 15,1886. THE WAGES QUESTION.

T'he Wairfrapii Eist; .Cjmnty Jias.:aga.iiv,dis.ci>ss6cirtljo T ..only; iq . conti.nir. 'tlitj.:action>.wlijcE".'. it, f.p ok; sit.; jtf forrii«it- si tt.i infg-i i.v ia x 1 rig. ti; he wj 'iiiisis/fbrllie. ' .wages: of ,i"ts(\ en^lpyoesi;■Si.x/btit pfreight yij e!» 'Jpi'Syy Pt«slVf6r ine ' : reduced :spale;>iiiij|tlie::.;ffeigi!t ~;qf iheii)i V.ei'cliijfc is .enhhnijed. by Ltliiit tlvdVe.jwlio^raeqi'declit^vfireVtlie: 1 ,,ife.;C^moil ~)vlici;}weroy : t!i6iii]'sfVlvei»; ■ "Jabpiv.o&iid,? \y e ret h e rt.* fo i;e.. >j'es.t/i nf bi; ni eti: asito ■ti ie1 condition/, of; ■th^l:iboi\^miirkfit;o ; ; iif, ;tua(ly..tbe.pnly councillprp'resenii^wiio■' ; di re<itly;;advqcated tfere'tention-pfthe' . fOTn/ier;bigher^^ . t\lcpardlp;. and : .:thp'iVgh ■ jve..are; pleased ■ : /i.li.i.ifc.. tliei■;;.yiows^, : ;ofvSiiiployiiesv/should;: :.'. bavivso: able-iyiivad vocate at .tl) ejGou ri cilj' ...\y.;e fail to}( ; '. t atej>'ayfi ■ wli/> i ; |;.^'i i'iied .'Mr : .'!McGardle; 'tothe^CoiiuciJ ; wei;e||)roitected.^;As < we; !!uridersViiiVc] '?jtiiVßliV^lujDn'rdle's ■ main /argument was'.that in dull times work-, ing liieii were subject to two disabilities, viz,, dearth of ein|iloymHiit and reduced wages. For the former he proposed no remedy, but for tliß Inttar he had ono, as far as the thirteen men employed by the Council'.'we're concerned, It is, however, obvious that the question of wages must he settled' on a broader basis than the interests of the handful of men whom Mr McCardle desired to befriend, and also that it is necessary to go somewhat deeper into the question than he did. Mr McCardle must admit that the dearth of employment, for which he offered no remedy, is the natural and inevitable cause of thi* present and every other reduction of wages, When work is scarce, as it is .iow, the ummployed go about the country and offer their labor at less rates than are wont to la paid in good times, We have now in this district scores of men demanding work at reduced wages. This is the real difficulty that has to be faced. Would Mr McCardle propose that these men should be shut out of the labor market and a chosen f w retained at a liighev rate than others are anxious to work for 1 Working men who are fortunate

enough to be supplied with regular work do not demand » reduction of wages, but other men less happily situated do demand it, and are they not also entitled to consideration 1 The lot of the employed to-day may he the lot of the unemployed to-morrow, and they cannot afford to take a selfish view of the question or refuse to sympathise with those who are out in the cold, It is the poverty of employers which now creates the present, condition of the labor market, and masters and men are now suffering alike. In this colony, and more especially in the southern portion of it, a very large per centagc of ninholders are being absolutely ruined by low prices and rabbits. Their distresses are throwing working men out of employment, and were we in Wairarapa North able to send word down south that labor was plentiful hero at seven shillings a day, before | many days were over we should be flooded with new arrivals looking for work, The reduction in wages which has already taken place in this district has been a safeguard to the resident workmen, bscause it has a tendency to keep outsiders away, We sympathise with tho undoubted sacrifice which the 'thirteen surface men of .this county have had to moke, but we sympathise still more strongly with a much more numerous body, of men who at the present tiinp are unable to obtain work 'on' uny terms.. We realize that the wiiitet' is approaching, and. that the labor market is threatened with a more ssrious evil than the one from which Mr McCARDLE.is endeavoring, to .save it,.; ; '. Many men are failing and:;more ; may; fail to fitid work at any price, audi fqr.such.as ..these let us reserve ;a■; full .measure' of our.sympathies.'-',- The 'question tp.which'all'who idesire'to', assist on'.their:daily;labor is ■ KowUo^create;wbrk: : clunng:the ycoinitig. 'winter season;We are ghul.to .observe:: , ■'•rhajvMess^^^ : tli e d is),r ict : Ve pVeseii tai ti vea /aris\y or k i ng ; .GpyernQieiit 'sary^public' ; vvHrks-inthis. district;;-:ahd tfji'tee.ffi^ f'l b : . tlia Miieivjili^ %ages"<acts;as;">a-M:e(h;i"ag:":: ; e:The : red rEa'g'is^lfpVeVe^ :: . ival: :6neni y : J:.tiiying.;.. "iif■S'|iamst^lm;;we; ; will: '"dbtfll?.^ 1 ; : yei;y i haiikfu 1 -ifitjie':! coinitig winter; /is [jtidedroVer:>v,itlioit't :Sbi.'ioiis.tr6iible~iErpiii :■" \ : ■■' ""\ V. : ;.-::' ; '