CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED.

Evening Star, Issue 8267, 12 July 1890, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE CONDENSED.

" I'.n'ionmpt" hopca that the Building Trades' Union will reconsider their proposal to raißO tho rate of pay for hod carriers to !)j a day. Fourteen or fiftoen years ago !)4 waa the standard wage, but then bricklayers, plasttrcrß, and masons were earning lfin If tho men interested study their own interests they would t»? satisfied with Bs, seeing that moat of them would be willing to work at ground or conerete work for Is. A largo city contnet has been let recently, and the contractor will naturally look for other arid less expensive ways of supplying his bricklayers. Tho fable of killing the goose that lays the golden egg is exemplified here. As he does not think that the Union would support the hodmen in demanding an unfair wage, lie expresses the hope that the matter wil receive further consideration before the increase is enforced. "Eionr lloitrh" agree 9 that the saddlers and harness makers' hands Bhould not work longer hours than other tradesmen, and hopes that a meeting will be held without delay to consider the «ituati:n. " WFj.b-wisrmt " asserts that many servants in the City work for a trilling wage, which in some cases averages 1M to 2d per hour. lie contracts this with tho earnings of men, who are neither hurried nor driven. Besides, servants work seven days a week. It cuinot bo expected while wages arc so small tint girls will work eight hours for such a rate of pay. They object to the eight-hour plan, but arc willing to work ten hours for the rate of pay that previously prevailed. " A Fatiifk " wants to know if our prison regulations permit of tho putting of a drunken man into the same coll as a lad of tender years? Regulations or no regulations, it ought not to be allowed. " A V'oTKrt" is at liberty to exercise his opinions at the ballot-box. " Power'" wants to know if the Mr .1. Maodonald who judged tho collies at yesterday's show is the person interested in the breeding of dogs. " FAIRPI.AY " is astonished to find that no one has up to tho p-esent taken up their pen to advocate tho cerise of night porters employed in ail of the largo hotels throughout the City. These men arc compelled to work from about cloven o'clock at night until one or two o'clock the next afternoon ; and for whtt ?—about IBs or 20s per week. Surely this is a disgrace, and ought not to be toleratori in a community like Dunedin, which has reached such an advanced state of civilisation.