THE STATE OF TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 50, 1 March 1893, Page 2

THE STATE OF TRADE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I was greatly interested when I read in your issue of the 24th inst. the annual report of the Chamber of Commerce. On looking closely at the figures in that report, my interest was deepened into that of sur-pn-e when I discovered that not one of the columns came out correct when added up. I can understand the comparative returns for the four principal ports, with the total for the colony as a whole, but the imports and exports for the port of Auckland alone, are not arithmetically correct. It seems to me that it) is one of the many attempts that havo been made of late, to paint the condition of our colony in the moab roseate colours so as to induce "all sorts and conditions of men," to take up their abode in our midst. Even our newspapers are guilty of attempts to "boom" the colony, and the result is that we ara threatened with invaeion by the " spielers " and " dead beats " of Sydney and Melbourne ; attracted by false idea that New Zealand is a land flowing with milk and honey. For example take the building trade, and day after day we have plowing reports of that branch of industry in Auckland, when the fact is that we havo more than enough carpenters to do what work is going on at present. One job—the new building for the Loan and Mercantile Company—has been mentioned about a dozen times by the press, and each time in such a manner as to give strangers in other colonies the impression that it is a dozen different jobs. It ia now approaching completion, as the roof is nearly on, and there are only the floors to lay, when more men will be thrown on an already ovor-stocked labour market. I have no sympathy with pessimists who deoreciate [ the country that sustains them, but I do think that we should bo satisfied that our \ colony is steadily recovering from the late depression, and not attempt to create a | " boom." 1 hopo you will publish j this, so that tradesmen in the other colonies will bo aware that if they come i here, it is to get perhaps 8s per day iv ono ! or two firms, but more likely the ruling | pittance of 7s per day of the majority, j Even the joinery work for the job I have j mentioned is sublet to a firm who pay their j regular hands but 7s. Ever' Christciiurch 1 employers, to the number of 24 out of 28, ! have decided to raise the wages from 8s to 9s per day, but if the labour market in Auckland is to be overstocked with arrivals from the other side, attracted by tho overglowing reports, then it will be some time before Auckland carpenters will enjoy the same privilege as their more favoured brethren in Christchurch.— I am, etc., RUHTRA.