ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14355, 27 October 1908, Page 9

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES

(Feou Ode Own- Coerebpondekt.) LONDON, September 11. After reading tho report of the New Zealand Labour Department, the South Wales Daily News considers that it shows there is a vory real dearth of effective manual labour in the Dominion, and that tho Dominion itself will supply less and less for come considerable time. This is owing to the low birth-rat© and to tho absenco. of any labour reserve that can roinforce tho depleted ranks of tho workers as timo removes them through eikness, age, death, or, in the caso of women, hy marriage. The figures quoted cover 20 yoare' national growth, "and may well give the friends of tho Dominion pause, tho problem that oxeroises the acutest minds of Franco is not peculiar to that country; but the tfunedy is nob ea6y to suggest. The qucstior- of employment has more lhan one phase: tho laok of work may be no worse than the lack of workers." The Pourquoi Pas, with tho Charcot Antarctic expedition on board, 6afely weathered the storm which she encountered when eho loft Cherbourg by putting into Guernsey. Thero'a fow slight alterations were mado in tho fittings, and tho vessel left on Saturday evening for the south Madame Charcot will leave the vessel at Pnnta Amnas. Most of tho members of tho expedition were with Dr Charcot on a previous voyage. Dr Arthur, as president, of the Immigration League of Australasia, is sending an appeal to some of the papers of Great lintain, urging the British to send wonion to Australasia. Ho points out that whilo in the United Kingdom there are a million more females than males, in Australia thoro are a quarter t>f a million more males than females. He assures the British publio that Australia and New Zealand could take at least 25,000 girls and women annually for many years to come, offering them work first as domestic servants, lady- ' helps, workers on farms, etc., until they settled down to their natural placo in life. The Unionist candidate for Newcastle (Mr, George Renwiok) deolarcs himself to be ardently in favour of colonial preferenco. Unfortunately his only pronouncement op the subject so far isi-almost 100 parochial to have any weight on the other side of the Tyno. Ho said ho was above all for colonial preference. Li addition to snaring in a general increase in tho prosperity of the country, Newcastle would specially benefit because bigger ship 3 would be required, and Newcastle was a- shipbuilding centre. AVhile a vast amount oE our trado was with-tho Continent,, quito small ships could bo used. Theso it would bo impossible to send io our distant colonies, for they had not sufficient coal accommodation. Consequently, if trade was transferred from the Continent to tho colonies a great number of bigger 6hips would be required, and in the building of these Newcastlo would come in for a good share. The latest colonial to be "gone through" in London is an, Australian farmer named ■ Hajl, who was staying «t tho White Horso Hotel, in Lpngaore. On Sunday, while ho was away, his portmanteau was opened with a (skeleton key and bills, notes, and gold valued.at £500 were taken. Mr H. S. Kilnor, secretary of tho Dewsbury and Savilo Hockey Club, informs'me that the council of tho English Hockey Association has decided that it cannot send a team to New Zealand, but it will have no objection to his taking one out personally, proyided a strictly amateur status is enforced. It is necessary that £1500 should be raised in England before any- ' thing can bo done, and if this can be achieved Mr Kilncr will proceed with the organisation of the team.