The Westport Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 707, 6 September 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1870.

The recent meetings of the unemployed held at Christchurch and Dunedin, together with the absence of remunerative employment and consequent destitution known to prevail widely in the province of Auckland, would suggest the necessity of some consideration before enteriug upon a system of immigration whereby the competition for skilled and unskilled labor would be greatly increased. The fact that a large number of people are being fur from beneficially employed in the North Island is evidenced by the largo export of kauri gum during the past year, which shows an increase of some 75 per cent, over the quantity hitherto annually exported. It is generally understood that gum digging is only resorted to when Lho ordinary channels of labor are closed and the consequence of a large number turniug their atten-

tion to this pursuit has been to introduce suddenly alargely increased supply into the market,and has naturally led to a very serious reduction in its value as an article of commerce Small, therefore, as have been previously the pro fits of gum digging, those who at present follow it for the purpose of obtaining a livelihood must find it affords daily a more precarious means of subsistence. In the case of Auckland, bowever, tbe circumstances of the people may be taken to bo of an exceptional character. The large population attracted thither by the gold discoveries, and the latter not having proved of the immediate value that it was anticipated, may sufficiently account for the depressed condition of commerce and the labor market in that province. But with Canterbury the case is altogether different. Its progress, though rapid, has not been unduly forced and not having been subject to the fluctuations of depression and prosperity necessarily experienced in the gold producing districts, a failure among the laboring classes to find employment of a stable character and at a moderate rate of wages presents really greater embarrassment than where the balance of labor and demand has been disturbed by some exceptional and easily explained cause. In all communities, however prosperous generally, unemployed are always to be found, and the fact of their being so is, perhaps, in the majority of cases, due rather to some personal defect than to an inability to obtain profitable employment. This view of the matter is not easily reconciled, however, with the large number of persons in the Province of Canterbury who would appear both willing and competent to perform a fair day's work if it were obtainable. On the other hand, the refusal of a number in Otago to accept 5s a day from the government of that province would not warrant the belief that the condition of the able laborer in any way serious. But admitting even that in Otago the labor question is more a matter of the rate at which labor shall be paid than any positive scarcity of employment; and that in Canterbury the depression is temporary and exceptional ; the utmost care should be used in selecting the immigrants to be brought to the Colony. Those who can be best spared by an over-populated country are not the class from which it is desirable to take immigrants. The colonies where, as a rule, the pay is high require the most skilful and reliable labor as a set-off against the high price that labor generally command?, and this cannot be most advantageously spared by any country. Much of the distress throughout the Colony is doubtless duo to tliio oau<!o. Lancashire operatives, skilful weavers no doubt, but unaccustomed to severe manual labor, and with frames little inured to cold and exposure, have been brought to the Colony, and as a rule have failed inobtainingemployment or in becoming satisfactory colonists. The colonies did not suit them, and they certainly were not adapted for a colony without manufactures. The same may be said of many other classes from which it has been customary to select immigrants, and to this reckless system of assisted immigration, without regard to classification, is chiefly due the discontent and destitution among the laboring classes.