The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1872.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 19 December 1872, Page 2

The Waikato Times. "OMNE SOLUM FORTI PATRIA." THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1872.

Dr Fkatherstone, the Agent-General for this colony in London, has been bestirring himself to Rome purpose of late. A recent telegram from England informs us that he has over 6.000 suitable emigrants ready to leave for New Zealand, and as opportunity serves they will be forwarded. Some fear is felt by the working classes that such a wholesale introduction of labour will seriously affect their independent positron, and that from the reduction in the rates of wages that is likely to ensue, they will be sufferers and not gainers ty the Immigration Scheme. That wages must become lower before we can compete successfully in the markets of the world, either as agriculturists or manufacturers of goods from our raw material, is self-apparent, and the only means to bring about a fair division of advantages betveen ibe capitalist and the labourer is to increase the latter up to the number demanded by the former. The working men of this colony have long enjoyed £ monopoly; their wages have been ruinously high both to the capitalists, whether large or small, and to the colony. There is now plenty of capital in this colony for which investment is sought, the price of labour, however, is so high that in many instances it is sent away and used for the establishment, of industries in other countries. Let us compare the value of agricultural labour in the old country, and the rates that are .demanded aud. obtained iii this. In England we find the-wages of agricultural labourers average about 2s per day, with a little extra money during harvest. In Scotland 13s to 15s a week, partly paid it kind, or from £18 to £24 per year with food. Iu Jrelaud Is to Is 6d a day, or 6d to Is ".with food. The diet of the English is given as white bread, bacon, potatoes and vegetables, cheese, tea, cbffoe, aud beer or cider; of the Scotch—oatmeal porridge, bread, potatoes', milk and butter, tea and coffee, a little bacon, but other meat rarely; of the Irish—bread, potatoes, oatmeal, whisky, and ' r SHittle bacon. We should-be sorry indeed to see the wages of our labourers reduced to such a low level as we have stated above, "we have only given them in order that the contrast between tho position of tho home .and the colonial workman may be understood. The average wages earned by'an agricultural labourer in this colony is about 15s per week with board and lodging, and the difference in his food, as compared with the same class in the home couutry r is.even greater than is that of his wages. He is not satisfied unless he has meat three times daily, or in fact lives better than his master would at home. There is a medium between these two extremes which we trust to see arrived at It must be remembered also that a reduction in wages will lessen the cost of living, so that those resident in the colony will not be much worse off than they are at the present time, and capitalists who are desirous of establishing manufactories will have Bometning like a fair chance of competing with foreign competitors. The change will have to be brought about gradually, and care must be taken by the authorities cot to import labour faster than the requirements of employers demand it. At the

present time the least intellectual and uneducated classes are the most independent in the country ; their unskilled labour, from its scarcity, has attaiued to a fictitious value, which, so long as it lasts, must retard the progress of this colony.