THE LABOUR SHORTAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 265, 7 November 1919, Page 6

THE LABOUR SHORTAGE.

PUBLIC WORKS DELAYED. IMMIGRATION SUGGESTED. The reason why public works are not progressing as fast as the public would have them, and the necessity for improving the position by enforcing a rigorous immigration policy, are set out in a letter from the Minister of Public Works (Sir William Fraser), which has been received by Mr. P. E. Cheal, chairman of the Auckland Railways League. The letter also acknowledges the League's appreciation of his services to the country. The communication reads as follows:— "A considerable quantity of machinery for road and railway construction is on order, and some of it has been received. It is, however, extremely difficult to obtain it from England, no doubt owing to the strikes in the iron and steel industries there. I was the first to publicly advocate a rigorous immigration policy. We simply have not got in this country nearly sufficient labour with which to push on our public works as fust as is desirabje, and when the shearing and harvesting are in full swing throughout the Dominion there will be less. Immigration is the only remedy. Please convey to your League my sincere appreciation of the kindly sentiments expressed in your letter to .mc of the 18th ult. This is all the more gratifying from the fact that occasionally I have had to differ from your League as to the best method of carrying out the extension of railway construction in the Auckland district. I can assure your League that I .had but one object in view, viz., to give increased facilities for railway communication to the outlying portions of the North. I have been greatly hampered in this work by the difficulty in obtaining sufficient labour, but of such labour as was available Auckland has always had its full share. I again thank your League for the compliment it has paid to mc."