HOW THE RAILWAY WORKERS HAVE BEEN TREATED.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 41, 16 August 1895, Page 2

HOW THE RAILWAY WORKERS HAVE BEEN TREATED.

Mr. Earnshaw recontly moved for an interesting roturn about the numberof working days the railway workshop hands worked at Hillside, near Dunedin. It shows how the working men have been served under tho new regime. The average number of hours worked per week by all railway employes at these workshops was, during the periods, as follows :—

So that when the old Commiasioners were gdt rid of the men lost three hours por week — say half a day per week. The number of hours of enforced idleness of these same men also rose. These were in

This little return is an eye-opener. It does not stand alone. It is only one out of many to show how little the labouring men have to thank the Ministry for. They have had to put up with less work and loss wages, and now the new Tariff gives them moro grievous burdens to bear. For the abject ciii servile support that they have given Ministers tliia is their reward. Charitable aid works and soup kitchens are their outlook !

Since Barabbas was released iv compliance with tho howling demands of a mob, no 'greater insult his been offered to tbo administration of justice in any civilised community than the intorfereuoe of the LegiilatnreintheChomiscaso. The Act will bo a foul blot on tbe Statute Book, and it inflicts an indelible stain ou the judicial system of tbe colony. The smug Pilatcs who hive yielded to the noisy but really insignificant clamour in thin matter will find that no Amount of band-washing- will remove from them tho stain of blood-guiltiness should their action result in tbe release of Cheuiis and tho porpetration of further crime. It is impossible to entertain any respect for those who last year voted against this Bill and this year supported it. There has boen no new evidence adduced in the interim, and no. hint; has occurred to justify such a change of opinion. Only a few pooplo havo continned to shout noisily, and to these the Council has bowed We do not beliore that publio opinion in tbe colony demands tho release of Chemh, any more than we behove that those who most loudly demanded tho relea^o of Barabbas really represented public opinion in Jerusalem. As to the action of the Government in a matter so vitally affecting the administration of justice, and establishing a moat viciou3 precedont, it was utterly contemptible. Ministers allowed the Bill to pass iv the Lower House without a word of protest or even a division. Th.-<y wore evidently afraid of their own Whip (Mr. Mills) and desirod to piuder to a small soction of their supporters However, Uhemis is not out of gaol yot, and we do not think Mr. Mills' Bi 1 will really help him to get out very easily. It will rest with the Judges whether a new trial is allowed or not. The ohaneos of its being granted aro very remote. The Government has a strange way of doing business and encouraging sotllement. It demands of many settlors that they shall entar into that generally rash and unprofitable commercial transaction known as •' buying a pig in a poke." Let us give au instance. A unmbor of people desired to form a settlement in the Ngalimaru Blook, in the Taranaki distriot. They had to wait some three years for surrojs, &c , but at last — in November, 1894 — tbo ballot for sections took place, and a number of successful applicants at once took possession and sot to work to make improvements. But repeated efforts havo failed to induce the Land Department \o fix the price of the land. All that the settlors can ascertain is* that the rent will acorae from the l»t of July, but what the rent is to be the Department will not say. So tho Bottlers ara required to go on making improvements on land for which the Government may ultimately demand, as has been done iv other ca3cs, a rack-rent which tha settlers will be unablo 48 pay They may, in fact, be compelled to abandon both the land and the improvements on which thoy have expended both time and money. Suoh a state of affairs is very unsatisfactory and very unjust to bond fide and industrious men, really anxious to make homes for themselves. Wo cannot understand why the Land Department does not act in a straightforward way, and at ouoe let the settlers know what their rent is to be. Tho Hon B. Pharazyn. we observe, demurs to onr oontention that the colony is morally bound to see the Bank of New Zealand through all difficulties. As the Pro3ident and Auditor of tho Bank aro appointed by the Government, and are really pnblic oflioerß, it is difficult to see how the colony can divest itself of responsibility for the institution under their oontrol. We are by no means sure that there is not an eqaitablo responsibility (in a legal sense) as well as a moral one. Mr. Pharazyn will find out ere tbo matter is settled that the responsibility which Parliament assumed in its hasty Bank legislation laßt year ia a very substantial ono indeed. Our reports of Parliament, the City Conncil, tho Harbour Board, and the Counties' Conference, and a letter to the Editor, will be found on the fourth page. Amongst the contents of to-morrow's supplement will bo articles headed as follows :— The Last Engagement of Junius Brutus Booth, An Ox Team Elopement, Taming the Golden Eagle, Norwioh and the Mustard Industry, A Historic Meeting, Prince and Cardinal, A Hugo Canal, The Ways of Billiard Sharpers, A Terrible Night, An ! Interesting Discovery, A Chat with Hope i Temple, The City of Jerußalom, Holies of the Past, The New Manßor Hepeating Rifle, Canada's Flag, Puzzle Column, Ladies' Column, Tit Bits, Nows/ia Brief, Wit and ; Humour, Temperance Column, &o The Wellington and Southern portion of tho inward 'Frisco mail oame to hand by tho ' Mahinapua. at 8.50 o'olook this morning. i Tho Telegraph Department notifies us i that the telopl.onist at Mangamahoe will : now bo in attendance for telegrams from , noon till 3 p.m. only, instead of from 9 to 5 i as hitherto Dr. Campbell is gazetted a Public Vaccinator for the Patea district. , > Mr. Alfrod Bish, of Carter'on, is appointed , an officer under the Fisheries Conservation . Act. I Powers under the Cemeteries Aot are delegated to the Hutt County Council. ' Mr. John Sinclair has beon appointed > Wharfinger at Fort Robinson. , The Government steamer Hinemoa re- [ turned from her usual inspeotion 'and tour of the Northern lighthouses at 7 o'clock this morning. The Wairarapa Standard, after quoting a 1 portion of onr remarks in favonr of a Fiscal 1 Reform League on Free Trade lines. Bays : 1 "We are heartily with our contemporary iv > this matter. The relief -from the heavy 1 Customs duties upon nearly all they use ■ would enable landholders to pay with ease : the inoreased Land Tax ; and tbe abolition ; of exemptions wonld make tho tax fair all | round, while the faot of tho coat of living 1 and the materials of labour being so greatly ' reduced through the abolition of duty upon 1 them would do more to establish profitable > industries than any possible ' protootion ' ' through the Customs conld do, aooompanied | as snoh ' protection ' is and must be by a ■ orushing corresponding bnrden upon oodbu1 mers. We would like to see the soheme ' heartily taken up -throughout the oolony." ; The charge against B. F. Davy, of having . infringed a patent connected with the r Wertheim sewing maobines, will be heard . in the Supromo Court tomorrow. The r trial of Andrew Kennedy and Joseph Jewett, r oharged with manslaughter in connection i with the death of the woman Louie Smith r as a reault of injuries received from a lamp . being thrown down in a house in Hainingi Btreet, will be commenoed on Monday. ! The Under-Seoretary for Public Works ; has informed the City Connoii that the ' Sydney-street right-of-<vay through the Par1 liamentary grounds oon only be kept open 1 at night white Parliament is in session. ' Councillor Andenon last night protested against the deoision, as tbe path had boon open to tbe publio for tba lait 30 years, and ' was a great oonvenienoo. He moved that ths Government should be asked to reconsider the matter. Councillor Myers seoonded | the motion, whioh was oarried. i The Superintendent of tbe Home for the i Aged Needy, Adelaide-road, desires to thank , Mr. Kirkoaldie (Kirkoaldis A Stainß) for a parcel of periodicals for use of the immates.

Somo smart work was done in the local Poet Office this morning, on the arrival of > the San Francieco mail. The whole of the . letters were eorted into the private boxe3 35 I minutes after their oirival in tbo office. Yosterdiiy afternoon Vajoi Soiiimertilln, of Waiiganui, and Mr. M'Millan, of Solwjn, attended the Counties Conference for the first time. Both expressed regret that, through the alteration in the dates of the sitting, they and other delegates had been unable to attend at the beginning. Major Sommerville considered that a grout mistake had been made in calling the Conferenuo until the Looil Government Bill was available. No notice of the resolutions passsed by the Association last year had been taken by tbo Government, rind ho did not think those which had ju=t, been passed would receive better treatment Mr. Edwards (Ohineinim) m untamed that this year's Conference had don 6n. great deai of good. Ho moved a vote of thanks to tho offioors of the Assoc atiou for their vnluablo berviars Mr. M'Millan, in seconding the motion, said he thought the delegates should remain in Wellington until the Local Government Bill iiad been brought down Mr. Laird (Waitotara) said he had been assured by a Ministerial supporter that while the Conference was Bitting tho Local Government Bill would not bo brought down. Mr. W. Fraaer, HHB, did not consider that the Confer, ence had been treated properly by the Government in regard to the Bill. Messrs. Baiok (Jlanawatu) and Harding (Hobson) considered that the Conference had been a great success. The motion was agreed to, and the Conference then adjourned until after tho Local Government Bill has boeu bronght down. The Harbour Board docidod yesterday afternoon that arrangements should be made to enable wool to be placed on exhibition on tho Board'B premises, bo that sales can be held iv Wellington during the ensuing season. For that purpose the two upper floors of the Queen's Bond buildings are to he divided off from the rest of the building, and a separatp mode of access given theroto. If. moro bales are ooened for exhibition than can be shown in the Queen's Bond building, the galleries in tho J and X shedd are to be utilised as far as the general business of the Board will permit. A oneolidated charge is to be made on all bales exhibited oi 2s (id per bale, euch charge to cover cartage, labour, ataoking, three weeks' storage, weighing, marking, and sewing-np bales. After the expiration of three weeks, and on bules not exhibited but stored, the usual storage and other charges will be made The Engineer is to prepare plans and estimates in connection with a proposal to add another story to the now briok building at the Queen's Wharf entranoe. News has been leceived by the 'Frisco mail that Mr. Charles Monro Heotor, a son ' of Sir Jainoa Hecsor, has passed tho examii nations of Bachelor of Medicine and Master i of Surgery lit Edinburgh, where he has i been studying for the past four years. ' Same discussion took plitce at last night's ' meeting of the Ci'y Council on the following motion, b ought up by Councillor Devino without previous notice :—": — " That this Council, by itself or in oonjunotion with any other public body or any representative committee i of Wellington oitizens aoting thereon, ap- : proach tbo Government with a vieiv of ' having the Monnt Cook Beserve set aside as i an endowment for the Middle University District or other industrial or public purpose, instead of being utilised either for a central penal prison or lnnatio asylum " The general opinion seemed to bo that the Council ought to asßist in the movement initiated | at the recent publio meeting, and the motion was eventually agreed to on the voices. ' Tho following regulations in regard to 1 issuo of totalisator lioenses are gazetted :— ' After tho 31st day of July, 1895, the number > of licenses to nso the totalisator that may be > issued by the Colonial Seoretary in any ono ' year shall not exceed 156. livery application for a license as aforesaid shall be made in the Form No. 1 appended to these regulations, or in such other form as the Colonial I Secretary may from time to time proscribe, i Each application shall be accompanied by a ■ proprammo of the proposed meeting, duly • verified, together with a list of the members ■ of the club, and a copy of the last balaneoL sheet of tho club vorificd by the statutory t denliration of the seoretary, troasuror, or i other the prinoipal executive officer. The I Colonial Secretary shall have power to refuso : or withhold the granting of a license in any F caao Subject ns aforesaid, the provisions > of " The Gamiu? and Lotteries Act. 1881," i and its amendments shall apply to all licenses ■ issued heieunder. ! Another caso under the Shops and Shop | Assistants Act camo before Mr. Martin, , S.M , this mo'ning. Thomas Canning, conJ fectiono', Lambton-ciuay. was charged with not having allowed a girl employed by him a '. halt-holiday, and also with having employed hor for more than 48 hours in oco week Or. , Findlay appeared to prosecute on bi-halt of \ Mr. James Sbannghau, Inspector of Fao- . Tories, who was also proeont For tho prose- ' cutiou it was shown that the accused kept tho girt employed froni 8 a m. till 8 pm. [ every weekday, and nntil 10 p.m. on Satnrt day. The Inspector had warned iiim that he ( wa^ breaking tho law, and he had pleadod ignoranco, but tho week following ho con- ' tinued to keep tho girl till after 8 at . night. When tho Inspector visited the Bbop, [ Canning told him that owing to Mr. ( Shauaghan's interference ho was going to dismiss tho girl. This he did, and he was ! summoned. He stated in Conrt that the girl was incoinpetont, and that the Inspector's interference had nothing- to do with tho dis- , missal. His Worship fined the defendant 10a on the first charge and Is on the second, with costs £2 lCs, remarking that the fines would have been heavier had tho costs not . been so great. The Wellington Eagby Union has been I granted permission to make a charge for • admission to Newtown Park during the i representative football matches —Wellington i against Tarauaki, Auckland, and Hawkos > B vy — on the 24th and 31st of Angußt, and tho i 7th September. On the motion of Couni cillor Harris, it was resolved that the Union ; must deposit £5 for each day on which it ■ uses the ground, to cover cost of repairs at I the end ot the season. A strong plea for another chance of oarn1 ing his living honestly was made by a I prisoner in tho Magistrate's Court this ) morning. The man was John Goldridgo, ; charged on remand with having stolen cloth. I ing of the value of Jit from James M'Guire. i He pleaded Guilty, and stated that he had i been unable to obtain honest employment, i and wanted to get away from Wellington on ; a ship. He was going to give up drinking, and would eigntho pledge on tho first oppori tunity. (Whon first arrested the man had ■ to he remanded, as he appeared to bo suffori ing from delirium Iremens.) His Worship i remanded the prisoner till Monday, in order > to allow enquiries to be made as to any \ chance ho might have of joining a ship. ■, Four first offenders were fiuod for drnnken- > ness, and two children named Arthnr Mooro ; and Ellis Stanuard appeared on a charge of ; having damaged by stone-throwing somo property of the Johnsonville School Committee. Both pleaded Guilty, and Moore was i remanded till Friday, whilo Standard's ' father was ordered to punish his son in the . presence of a constable, as well as repair ; the damage done. ' Tennis-playera of Wellington will be in- ; terested to hear that a meeting will Bhortly be held for the purpose of forming * Lawn Tennis Aajooiation for the Wellington Pro- ' vinoiil District. Both Canterbury and Otago have long had Associations, and it is strange ' that hitherto no effort has been made in this 1 direction in Wellington city. At the New . Zealand Association's Championship Tour- ' nament will be held in Wellington this year, ' the formation of an Association is absolutely essential to the proper carrying out of the arrangements. The date of the meeting will shortly be advertised. An excellent concert was given at a largely-attended social gathering of the Loyal Britannia and Antipodean Lodges, 1.0.0. F., M.U , held ]aßta B t night in Thomas' ; Hall. Bifo.tbe Eight Rev. Dr. Wallis, , Bishop of Wellington, presided, and in the . course of the evening gave a pleasant [ addre-s on " Oddfellowship," empbaaing the < face that the Order encouraged thrift and in- ; dupendonce, as well as a larger love for man- [ kind. lio was pleased to see that in addition , to juvenilo branches of the sooioty stops ; were being taken to form a women's branch here An orchestra under the conduotorchip ' of Mr. C Cimino played an acceptable solecI tion, and vocil items were contributed by Mo«dame3 Bell. (i. Snaddon. J. Reed, llUsps M'llvrMe and Griffen, Messrs. W. Hare, H. r M Kvan3, T. M. Wii'ord, and F. Dight. A i little tot, Miss Livingstone, performed a elpritt danco, and Mr. J. J. Ritqon contributed a sailor's hornpipe. A zither solo by , Mr. Lachenmair was greatly appreciated, and Mr. A. S Patorson reoired with exoellent ■ ) effect one of Rudyard Kipling's poems. Mr S. Cimino, junr., acted as aocompanut throughout. The music for the danco later • in tha evening was provided by Mr. Cimino 1 a orchestra. The appearance of tbo hall was , bright and pretty, as the decorations for the Wellington Bowing Clabja dance the previous evening hid not been removed. Mr. T. Kowell prorided an excellent supper, and I the efforts, of the secretary, Mr J. H. Hayhow, ensured the enjoyment of all those . present. The lantern lecture giren by tho Rev. W. Baumbor in the Taratiaki-streot Wesleyan Sohoolroom last evening was very largely attended Among tbo pictures were Boms exoellent views of tho large buildings in Sydney and Brisbane, and ot places of i interest in the suburbs. Mrs. Mtiller sang I Tennyßon's " The Brook" (desoriptive pio- : tares of whioh wore shown), and had to i repeat the last verse. G. B Sims' " Tioketr of-Leayo" was rcoitod by Mr. F. W. Hay- ) bifctlo, incidental musio specially composed , by Mr. A F. Hill being payed by Misa i Murdoch. In response to an enooro, Mr. I Haybittle gave a oomio sketoh. Miss Murr dooh lanpr " The Ivy Green," the descriptive r views being exceedingly pretty. Mr J. H. i Holliwell worked tho lantern, and tho Misses i Tattlo contributed :t pianoforte duet. Next ' Thursday evening Mr. C. W. Benbow will I deliver a lecture on " John Banyan." Mr. Maughan Barnelt's new mnsioal 5 Booiety made a very promising beginning last night, some 150 of tho 200 members enrolled attending the first practice, whioh r was held in St. John's Sohoolroom. The 1 voioeo were tried with several oboruses from I Gade's " Coraala " and "The Meßsiah " with 1 muoh BQocess, tho parts being well balanced, i The Bopranos lyere a particularly strong > feature. Altogether the initial praotioo was 1 highly satisfactory. Mr. B irnott explained > his reasons for forming the sooioty, and ' announced that through the aourtesy of the managers of St. John's Church the use of | the Sohoolroom had been permanently ob- , tamed for pmotioos, whioh will be held avory week. The formation of »n oroheatra L is to bs undertaken immediately, and the rehearsal of the two wprks mentioned above [ will be pushed forward without delay. [ Members are notified elsewhere that those [ who have not yet called upon Mr. Barnett . will have an opportunity of doing bo to- , morrow afternoon, from ito 6 o'olook. ApI pliaationa ara invited from those who desire to join tho orchestra, whioh is to be under the management of Mr Alfred Hill. : The SUr of Wellington Lodge, 1.0. Q.T., , met last evening. One o&ndtdato wu initiated and one proposed.

A lecture on " The Hymns of the Christian Church" will be given by tho Roy. W. Morloy ill Weßley Chnrch this evening. Soleotcd hymns will be sung by the choir. A meptof the United Hunt Club is fixod for '1 30 to-morrow afternoon, at Mr. Karp'e, TawaFlat. Tbo Trades Counoil has decided to give its patronage to a social gathering in aid of a disabled member of the Bootmakers' Union. All the Trade 3 Unionists aro to be asked to give thoir eupport. The adjourned annual meeting of the Wellington Trotting Club is to be held at the New Zealander Hotel on Monday evening. Hermann Both, tho mhssnge specialist, 1b findin? i/lenty to do with the number of patients who -are takiutr advantage of his stay iv Wellington. Mr. Roth's credentials nre of tbe very highest order, aud his experieuce has ljecn almost worldwide. To thoroughly understand wh it is implied by '* massage," one needs to read Mr. Both's book, which cm be olitaiued gratis from any chemist. Ho treats the subject both from the historical and scientific standpoint, which makes it very interesting, even to the casual reader. Mr. Both's time in Wellington is limited. He can he consulted free, from 11 to 1 o'clock any day, at the Phoenix Chambers, Lambton-quay. Eirkc^ldie and Stains intimate that as tomorrow is tho last dar of their sale, they intend making it one of the busiest days of tho season by reason of the irreiitly.reduced prices of all their goods. A speciality mil bo the throwing out of all remnants and oddments at further reductions. For a few days, previous to talcing down stock, C. Smitn, the cash draper, Cuba street, is offeriug some wonderful bargains in mantles, jickets, millinery, and dress materials. Particulars will be found in advertisements. Special attractions for those who require boots and Bhoes are advertised in our Warned column by B. Ilnnimh and Co., nho state that unheard-of prices will be iv force to-morrow and the following week, nt their Boot Palace, Lambtou-quay, and their Cash Boot Market, Cuba-street. There will bo a grand display of new goods at Crespiu aud Co.'s boot and shoe department, Cuba-street, to night. Boot-buyers aro informed that,notwithstanding tho rite in tho price of leather and increased Customs duty, all goods at Pearee's Boot Arcade will be sold at old rates, in order to reduce the stock, which is unusually heavy. A. G. Tamo and Co. will hold an important salo of horsos to-morrow. Amongst their eutrieft are ten heavy draught horses from Oamara, which have been landed in excellent order i also, traps, harness, and sidc-saddlC9. Townsend and Paul will soil to-morrow, at Islaud Bay Hotel, wives, &c.; at Harris street, horses, ic. i'raneis Sirtoy and Co, will sell to-morrow, I furniture, &c.

1892-93 ... 147 hours per employe* . 1893-91 ... 105 „ „ 1891r-95 ... 239 „

1892^93 1893-94 189-M)5 .. 43 hours per employ i '■ 41 " ' "