Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1783, 7 April 1863, Page 4

held' last Wednesday evening," in answer 'to 1 their petition. PETITION. Tt is'the unanimous wish of nl^ the^men now in your employ, that this petition be presented to you, requesting that you grant them the piivelege enjoyed by all otuor»tra*» in Auckland that of eight houis per clay, being the recognised' time of labo ur; and considering tho veiy low rate of wages now p.iid that you will continue to pay the «amc amount per week, otherwise they ftould be paid low than unskilled Inborn er». Knowing thnt this may mateiially affect your inteiest in ragai d to contiacts, of which they may bo ignorant, and being desirous to net faiily towards yon, they nrp anxious to ascoitain your spntiments on the subject. Standing, as you are well nwaie, second neither in physical labour, or in mechanical skill to any trade, and considering the impure atmosphere which the very nature of their calling compels them to woik in, makes it still more unreasonable that they should woik longer hours than those who have the advantage of pure air. They are well assured that it requires but your deliberate and dispassionate consideiation to see the justness and motleiation of their petition. Begging that you will favour them with a wiitten answer on Saturday next, We arc, Gentlemen, Your obedient set van ta, [Signatuies.] ANSWER TO i?ETITIOtf. , At a meeting of the employers of the smithy trado generally, held last Wednesday evening, to consider the nature of your petition ; the lesolutions come to, after due deliberation pro con on the points brought forward, were as follows :—: — Inrefeience to the first part of your petition lespecting the eight hour movement, Moved by Mr. Gee, seconded by Mr. Darid&on, and ennied by a majority of ]8, "That we, as employeis, aie opposed to an eight hour movement, and consider it impracticable to tho tinde geneiaJly." In icferonce to the second part of your petition reFpectiug a higher rate of wages, Moved by Mr. White, seconded by Mr. Geo, and carried unanimously, "That we, an employers, are not in a position to enable us to give a higher l.vteof wng<i than are at picsent paid, but should any man in employment consider himself earning moie than he is at picsent getting, he shall make application to his emp'oyer, nt whose option it is whether he can make the reqimed advance or not " Moved, proposed and seconded, "That tho names of those employers picsent in favour of these resolutions shall be addtd forthwith, .md a co|>y handed to lh« woikmen by tho chahinan." T. Masefield (chaiuuan) George Loahcy, Fianci* White, Michael Leahey, lU Geoige Fiaser, Uouiian McMillan, j£' D.wid David-on, John Mumo, Eiluaid Scotter, Thomas Quinii, Geoige "R. Burnett, A. M.icKio, John Peaicc, John Wilson, E<lward Pence, junr , .Taints Main, William Vitktry, Thomas Gee. James Mnckey,