CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12849, 6 July 1907, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

UNDEVELOPED WEAI/TH. TO TIIK XDirOR OF "THB PHBSS." Sir, —One oould not help but be etTUok by the (paragraph appearing on page 8 of Mondays '-Preee" regairdiae "Sweated Imports." Some of the figures quoted are very startling. For instance, we read "The Hon. J. A. Millar shows that importation* of apparel had risen from £348,000 odd in 1a96 to £620,000 odd in t>o6, while imported woollens had is. ...cased in a similar ratio. Yet our population has not increased nearly 100 per cent, within, the last decade, though it ie going up gradually. Then why this increased consumption of imported e 00 ** 8 ? There's no need to look far to see the reason. This side of the New Year I have been shown in one of our leading centres upwards of fifty machines idle in one factory, and these machines, indacctly, would have provided work for between sixty and seventy hands. From evidence before mc as I write, I have no hesitation in saying that the piogrese of moet of our leading industries is being hampered for want of iabour. One Northern- manufacturer remarked in a letter quite recently "If the labour were available we would experience no difficulty in disposing of double our present output. Aβ we are now situated it is impossible for us to execute all the orders that come to hand, and existing conditions prevent us from extending and makiwg improvements that would undoubtedly increase tin? present demand. It is discouraging to manufacturers and the whole community to see manufactures remaining m> stationary.' Another large manufacturer in the South Ldand nleo told the writer reopntly that "tkough extensions were warranted owing to expanded business they could not put them into effect at it would only mean, more capital lying idle owing to tho want of the necessary workers ia five or six different departments." In the above cases men aa well as girls are want«l. But take only the first case mentioned; suppose these people only averaged £1 a week, and we count only fifty, which would represent £2GOO >por annum which might be earn«d by these people—£2ooo which might be circulating among the retail trades in on« town.—and thie- in turn giving employment to many more —ana yet that is only one factory. The same is being duplicated throughout the colony. We have not the workers. What is tho consequence? Goods must bo imported to race* tin* demand since manufacturers here cannot meet it, and the workers themselves who buy those «oods hold up their hands iin holy horror at our encouragement of sweated indiuefcriea in the Old Country. I just mention these facts to draw the attention of your readers to the tremendous undeveloped wealth there is at present ia this colony—wealth all the community might be, and should be sharing—wealth better than, any gold mine because moro cqjjain-, and more universal —wealth that would do us all good. I think, too, tiheee facts provide a strong argument in favour of the proposals recently brought forward 1 before the Canterbury Industrial Association, but I trust that now "The Frees" has broaght them forward, some abler pen, etc.-Yours,