The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1893. THE SCARCITY OF LABOR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2327, 16 January 1893, Page 2

The Star. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1893. THE SCARCITY OF LABOR.

The local bodies in this district who are anxious to push on roadwork during the summer months— we can hardly say the summer weather in view of tbe everrecurring rain— find great difficulty owing to the scarcity of labor. Tenders lately have shown higher figures than were quoted for several yearß previously, and the offers to do work have been fewer. On Wednesday the Waimate Road Board felt the difficulty acutely, and on Friday the County Council were compelled to decline tender after tender because the figures were so greatly above tbe estimates. The result is tbat much money which ought to be spent this summer will probably remain at the bank account, and inconvenience will be suffered by the settlers during next winter wbioh they had expected to escape. In the case of the Eltham road east tbe hardship is pecnliar. Tbe settlers have gone to the trouble and expense necessary in complying with the statutory conditions preliminary to raising a loan, and everything has been poshed on to get the road available for the winter ; bat a halt is now compulsorily called, because ao few contractors apparently are at

liberty to undertake the work, and those who are put such a price upon it that the loan raised would be inadequate to do that which it was estimated it would do. I Meantime tbe summer months are rapidly Blipping away. This state of things applies not only to public work, but also to private employment. Several members of tbe Waimate Eoad Board stated, our reporter mentions, that for private work of the utmost urgency they had experienced for months tbe greatest difficulty in obtaining labor of any sort. Tbe members of the local bodies seem unable to suggest a remedy, and we do not know that any is to be found, save such as will be supplied by the ordinary operation of the laws of supply and demand. It is, from many points of view, exceedingly satisfactory to find that labour is so thoroughly employed, and so well paid in the district. It speaks of prosperity, of settlers being in a position to undertake improvements, and of confidence in the future. The only drawback is that it tends to restrict necessary expenditure both of a public and private character. The Eltham road is a case in point. Of course it must be borne in mind that tbe present is the busiest season of the year, and although we could do with more labour now, it does not at all follow that when the rush of the summer and autumn work is over the demand will remain as keen as it is, so that the difficulty is to supply what is required now without having a•• glut " ot labour when tbe winter comes on. In the meantime, however, tbe case of tbe settlers, who bad expected and needed work to be done on the roads, is a hard one.