The Waikato Times. THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1879.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1051, 20 March 1879, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1879.

Equal and exact justioe to all mon, Of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political. • * * * * Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and nnbribed by gain.

Thb utterances of Mr Rolleston aro looked to with more than usual interest, as it is thought by many that, m the event of a change of. Ministry, Mr Rolleston might have the task of forming a new Ministry. Whatever Mr Rollesto;i's olaim for the support of the electors may be m other particulars, we cannot but join issue with him m his censure of the Ministry for taking advantage of the present state of affairs m the agricultural distriots o fEngland and sending out a further draught of immigrants, the first instalment of which sailed, as our readers have been made aware, early last month m the Sttadt Haarlem for Southern ports. Alluding to the advantage taken by the Agent-General of the desire of the Kentish laborers to emigrate just at the present time, Mr Rolleston, m the full report of his recently delivered speech to his constituents, is made to have said: — " I may say that I have bad, as you are doubtless aware, considerable experience m the Gonduct of immigration, and I say that there oan be no more suicidal thing than to crowd immigrants m steamers to bring them long sea voyages under the exceptional circumstances of the colony. A steamer with 600 immigrants on board is actually on its way here," Mr Rolleston oan be little aware of the actual requirements of the labor market m all parts of the colony if he thinks that even a thousand immigrants a month would m any appreciable manner affect the labor market. Of the number, which arrive not more than a third are adalt males, and the new I arrivals as they come aro quietly absorbed m the population, and the want remains as unsatisfied as ever. It is better perhaps that the labor should scarcely meet the demand than that there should be a lack of

work even m the siigntesc aegree ior willing hands, but the turning poiut is far from being yet reached as every employer of labor knows to his cost. The supply is far short of the demand, and were it otherwise the reduction of the present, m many sources of investment, prohibitive cost of labor would lead to an intermediate stage, when, the rate of wages being reduced, more hands would find employment. When this occurs, and not till then, the Government need begin to draw oack m the matter of immigration, That stage of affairs will certainly indicate the necessity for caution, and, paid due attention to, no ill results will follow. We are far from that point now. Capital ready j for investment m a score of ways is I held back on account of the dearness of labor and material, the cost I of the latter being due to the high rate of the former m its preparation. The 'Manawatu Times,' aluding to the state of the labor market points out " that the exorbitant and preposterous wages demanded by agricultural laborers all over the country is more than likely m the long run to recoil upon the men themselves, as many farmers, enlightened by the experience of the present, are determined not to crop next season." We know, says that journal, " of one instance, that of Mr Akera, of Iliverßdale, Fitzherbert, who although he has had a yield of from sixty to seventy bushels to the acre, will find a balance at the end of the season on the wrong side of the ledger. This is owing to the high rate of wages ruling, and low value of wheat at present m the market. We regret to Itara that VI r Aker's case is not an isolated one, and that several of the farmers of Jockeytown bave had the same experience. The agrioutural laborers a,*e certainly not studying their own interests, when they ask terms which drive the farmers to such steps, for although their demands may be conceded for the time, th e y may rest assured measures will be taken either by the importation 0 f machinery or otherwise to make the farmer independent of their services." It is with regret we find a man like Mr Rolleston condemning the Governmeat m their present action for their special introduction of these men of Kent into tho colony. The present is an Opportunity we may not have again for years of securing a large number of the pick of genuine&wtf/ft&agricuiturai laborers, for though our settlers complain generally of the high cost of labor, they complain still more of the quality of the labor they obtain. The Agenl-General had never a bettor opportunity of procuring the genuine article than now, and Mr Rolleston and the Government may rest assuied that a thousand imrai-

grunts a month if the men be only of the r : ght stamp will not fail to meet with ready employment, m the probable state of the colony for somo time to come, aud more especially so as long as the colony continues the borrowing of capital for the construction of public works nnd thus becomes a very serious disturbing element m the one direction m the labor market as between employer and employed.