INDUSTRIES AND LABOUR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13340, 31 March 1911, Page 4

INDUSTRIES AND LABOUR.

In his address in the Opera House the other evening Mr A. L. Herdman argued that the legislation passed by successive Liberal administrations was responsible for certain industries languishing in New Zealand. The “Herald” pointed out that it was the dearth of labour which was the cause of the trouble, and this view is endorsed by the N.Z. Herald, which says:— ln many countries the Labour problem is how to find work for hordes of unemployed. In New Zealand the Labour problem is how to find workers for clamouring industries. The land is like a sponge in its thirsty absorption of all the labour that can lie obtained for the laud-working callings; the towns arc being checked in their progress by the inability of their populations to perform the work that waits to be done in many different directions. There are, of course, many who arc still stupid enough to think that every man or woman who is working is -keeping somebody else out of employment, but this strange hallncinalioiumght now to be losing strength, so that much good may result from the conference nimposed between employers and employees in certain of the Auckland factory industries, which conference is to consider the Labour problem, with a view to making jointrepresentations to the Government. This procedure is sound, for both employers and employed are vitally concerned in the prosperity and expansion of industries, and in the progress of the Dominion, and wo hope that the results will justify the innovation. The Dominion wants population most urgently, for the convincing reason that until wc have onmpletelv settled and occupied the land it cannot be considered safe from Asiatic influx. Under the circumstances it is.criminal to keep an acre of land unoccupied, or a vacancy unfilled, provided there is any way of obtaining settlers and workers. The immigration question cannot Ik; ignored by those who have the safety of New Zealand at heart; while there is idle land and waiting work is the time to invito and persuade suitable and desirable persons to immigrate to a Dominion, which will be advantaged in every conceivable way by their addition to its too‘scanty population.