EMPLOYMENT IN OTAGO.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 68, 15 August 1874, Page 5

EMPLOYMENT IN OTAGO.

The meeting held in the Athenaeum last week by the unemployed to proclaim their grievances and protest against the conduct of the Government with regard to immigration, by calling on the authorities to take some action on their behalf, has already borne its fruit, and lias beeu productive of good results. In the early part of this week a notification appeared in the daily papers announcing- that employment for the newly arrived and unemployed immigrants would be found temporarily by the Provincial Government. The notice concluded by saying that application was to be made personally, when the names of those willing to accept employment on the Government term would be taken. This is of course, so far satisfactory, inasmuch as it provides the means of assisting those whose necessities are absolute, and whose conditions are such as to make work of any nature, or at any rate, most acceptable ; but is it calculated to bear out the flattering pictures drawn of N"ew Zealand in the old country ? Desirable, as the work may be, and acceptable, as no doubt it will be to many — no matter what may be the terms on which it is offered — it will be given only as a matter o'" necessity • and the very fact of the Government being compelled to take such a step is the very strongest condemnation of the system of immigration which has been carried ou. Indeed, those persons who hold the opiniou — and they are far from few that the immigration policy which has been in operation was adopted with the view of flooding the labor market, so as to make the acceptance of the lowest wage a matter of absolute necessity, -and to leave it in the power of employers of labor to dictate their own terms, have good grounds for the arguments they urge. The plea under which the Government has sought to shelter itself in stating that it has not hitherto provided employment through a delicacy in entering into competition with private employers of labor is untenable and unsound, and we hold that the Government hail a perfect right to make use of th« labor at its command for the carrying out of the pubiic works of the Colony, independently altogether of the iffect it might have on private n^hts or interests. We ha/c before now allude Itoasun of m> uty voted some time since for reclamat on purposes, ani which wj suppose is at present available. We ask, therefore, now that

there is such misery and privation through lack of employ" ment, why should not that money be made use of, and the work set on foot »t once, without any " conditional terms," and the fair rate of wage which has been ruling in the labor market still maintained ? It cannot be denied that one willing immigrant, who pays his own passaue, and conies prepared to fight the battle of colonial life, i? far preferable to a dozen such as we have been receiving, people who come with the idea that New Zealand i.° a perfect Elysium, where their wants will be administered to, and their comforts studied. The false representations and glowing pictures which have been the bait which allured from their homes many of those who now seek assistance, are bearing their bitter fruits; and there are hundreds in our midst who would feel heartily thankful were they landed on their native shore 3in no better condition than they are at present. It was stated by more than one speaker at the meeting, that direct promises had been held out to them as an inducement to emigrate that the New Zealand Government would guarantee employment at from Bs. to 10s. per day; and in the face of such representations, it would be a gross breach of faith were their necessities taken advantage of during the present overstocked state of the labor market. We trust, then, that the Provincial Government, in providing the muchneeded employment, will exercise due care that a fair day's work shall secure a fxir day's wage, so that those who are so employed may earn the reward of honest industry, and not eat the bread of charity.