IN A CRITICAL STATE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 139, 11 December 1908, Page 8

IN A CRITICAL STATE.

« THE TIMBER TRADE. A CURIOUS POSITION. A CUT JN PRICES. The altitude of the Prime Minister towards timber merchants in Wellington is construed by those in the business to be somewhat hostile to them as vis-a-vis the sawmillers. In order to remove any (misunderstanding that may exist in Sir Joseph Ward's mind as to who has been receiving the profits — the miller "or the merchant — a deputation is to wait upon ■the Prime Minister as soon as he can conveniently meet the merchants. It will be sought to be shown that the much greater part of the profits has gone into the pockets of tiie miller and his men, and comparatively little into I those ol" the merchant. In course of conversation with a merchant to-day, a representative of the Post learned that profits of millers — at any rate the price of timber at the milling port — have gone up within the last seven and a half years from 2s 9d to 7s per 100 feet, or over 4s per 100 feet — a rise of 40 per cent. SELLING UNDER THE PRICE LIST. The timber trade appears to be in a, critical state at present, and its condition is indicated pretty clearly by the estimate that Wellington merchants have made bad debts to the extent of over £5000 during the past six months. The extremely cautious attitude of the banks, too, has been a factor in the situation that has brought about something like a crisis in the trade. Several merchants have found themselves with heavy stocks which they could not shift on the merchants' association price list. Some business could be done, some relief could be obtained, but only at selling under the price list. Some merchants yielded to temptation. They undersold, and were fined. Nevertheless penalisation was ineffectual as a preventive. Tho merchants undersold again, and were fined again. With large stocks immovable at prices current, what was to be done? Fining could not go on for ever. At last a special meeting of the association was called, the situation was reviewed, and finally it was decided to give all merchants in the association greater latitude as to selling certain lines in certain circumstances — no more, no less. One authority assured the Evening Post representative that the list was entirely suspended; but that, according to another authority who spoke in a semiofficial way, was not the case, the situation being as aforementioned — greater freedom in accepting lower prices for given lines under certain conditions. OREGON TIMBER. An endeavour was made to find out how Oregon timber entered into the question, if at all. It was learned that this timber was now getting dearer, while red pine was becoming cheaper, and that for the nonce Oregon was a negligible quantity. That dullness overspieads the milling industry is obvious. All \vestland mills are closing down a fortnight earlier this Christmas than last, and there is no more definite dat© given than "some time after New Year" for their reopening. The same condition of affairs applies to the North Island mills, and some, at least 25 per cent., it is believed, will not reopen at all. Ftilly 35 mills on tha West Coast will be closed down and, incidentally, it may be mentioned that the white pine market in Australia, which has been a great help in keeping mills going, is now fully supplied tor some time- to come. - WAGES QUESTION. High wages paid to mill hands were urged by two merchants in behalf of the miller's position. If his prices have gone up 40 per cent., his wages bill has also materially increased', and whereas while 7£ to 8 years ago "slabbers--' received 7s a day and now 9s, and benchmen 10s and now 14s, the wages show an average, increase of 3s per day, so that all the profit has not gone into the pockets of the miller. In the unusually prolonged holiday of the saw mills there is seen by some members of the trade a passive resistance to present high wages and a desire to bring labour matters and business matters generally to a head with a view to a new start to be begun under other and different conditions.

A small fracas in Cuba-street resulted in a coloured man named James Connor being charged at the S.M. Court to-day with a breach of the peace. The defendant, who conducted an able defence, pleaded not guilty. After hearing evidence, his Worship dismissed the information. John Lamb was convicted and fined 10s, with costs 7s, for a breach of the Scaffolding Inspection Act, 1908. Ernest Bowden and John Knowles were convicted for allowing stock to wander. The first defendant was fined ss, with costs 7s, and the second was ordered to pay solicitor's fee, £1 Is. A young sailor, R. Dorman, of the barque Helga, was charged with using insulting language towards the chief officer. Defendant was convicted and ordered to enter into a recognisance of £10 to keep the peace towards complainant for a period of six months, and to pay costs, £1 15s. In default of payment, seven days' imprisonment was ordered. Mr. Gray appeared for complainant. The Rev. F. W. Isitt, secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, leaves this evening for Nelson to attend the animal meeting of that branch of the Alliance on Monday. A cable message was received from Europe this morning by the Rev. Dean Regnault, provincial of the Society of Mary, that the founder of the society has just been declared "Venerable" by the Congregation of Rites at ,Rome. This is the first step in the introduction of the "cause of canonisation." The founder of the Marist Order will henceforth be known as the Venerable | Jean Claude Marie Colin. He was born on 7th August, 1790, and established the Society of Mary in France. Amougst the first members who made Oheir profession on 24th September, 1836, were Blessed Peter Chanel and the Venerable Father Champagnat, founded by the Marist Brothers. These were the- first Marist Fathers to reach the shores of New Zealand, where they landed on 10th January, 1838. They accompanied the late Bishop PompaiHer. The market was well supplied wiili fruit to-day by the arrival of the Mnnaponri from the Islancls with bananas and pines and British Columbian apples. The Wellington fruit amounted to 8030 cases and 787 bunches of bananas, and 1160 cases of pines. A line of 80 crates of cherries from Melbourne also arrived to-day by the Maheno. Bidding at the fruit market was brisk for all fruits, in view of the set-in of warmer weather, green bananas bringing from