IMMIGRATION AND LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14222, 19 November 1909, Page 6

IMMIGRATION AND LABOUR.

Labour in Australia has more or lees consistently opposed the immigration campaign (says the Sydney Morning Herald), because it has feared that a surplusage of labour would ensue were the policy of encouraging immigrants carried out on any extended scale. This, however, has not been the experience in other parts of the world, nor is it the case in Canada to-day. During the three months, April, May and June last, immigrants came into Canada as follows: . * ■"■••.' 3 months 3 months, 1909.- 1908. From United States . y 32,924 20,407' Ocean ports ...... 41,318 48,566 Total 74,242 •' 68,973 Had there been anything in the idea that immigrants cause glutted labour markers, there would surely have been a glut in July last. Instead, however, we learn that .so great was the , scarcity of labour just at that juncture that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company were ' petitioning the Government to be allowed to wq Asiatic labour to assist them in completing their lines. Otherwise it was said that long delays would occur, as white labour was well-nigh unobtainable. :•