CORRESPONDENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 291, 8 December 1893, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE THREATENED INFLUX | FROM AUSTRALIA. (To the Editor.) Sir, — .Under the ominous heading of "ThreabeneJ Influx of Labour from Australia," I have rend one of the moat narrowminded letters that has ever wet my eyes. Your correaoondoub ib Buttering from a nightmare; and he will wake up to find that what he views as a calamity is positively a great advantage. I congratulate ths Union Company for having had such a long uninterrupted term of possession of our ports as far &3 the Australian connection is concerned. The trade has been shaped, as is but natural, to suit the Compaoy, but the colony must have lost enormously. As an | instance how the volume could be increased, i tuke the competition of lasf season—a huge public gain. Ne-v Zealand was ripe for I opposition twenty yeare ago, and the seas between this and Australia are about as unacquainted with steum as the Antarctic. Operating amongst ti>e millions of Außbralaaia sve are badly served—steamers every other day instead of every other week, as it has been between this and Sydney, is about the requirement. Reduced fares and freighbs will bring in more people and goods—every unit is an advantage—may they come in shiploads. Good for capital, good for labour, the colony is barely scratched, there is room for a million. Take for instance the Tasmania's passenger list, and allow ior ten per cent, being penniless, there are ninety per cent With money (spenders). The butcher, baker, and every department of labour benefits.

Moreovar, Huddarb, Parker, and Co., whom we will assume, know cheir business, renew the fighb againsb such a formidable rival. This rather indicates that very much lower freights and fares will pay. That by tilling up their ships ib pays in the volume. May both lines live and do well. Your correspondent' 6 allusion to the pay of the sailors reads badly. I would inform him that those who have incited strikers have done a cruel wrong bo the world. My reading of a strike id an irrecoverable loss to both capital and labour, a stoppage of the machinery that makes the bread, and labour feels hunger's pinch first. Just imagine the stoppage of Huddart, Parker, and Co., the hundreds of sailors it would throw out of work. On the other hand, what does the progress of the concern mean ? More labour. The final narrow view of the writer is the foreign company. "If there is any money to be spent ib is taken to Australia and spent there." I have shown how by passengers the circulating power must greatly benefit New Zealand. I. may now add that a steamship company in a great spender, visiting thu many ports this colony reaps the greatest benefits, and if after the huge outluy the net result shows a profit, we should be pleased for them to geb it, bub the colony must erer be the greatest gainer. I wish each company good luck, and long may they flourish.—Yours faithfully, Progress.