WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11557, 19 April 1898, Page 6

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, April 18. Some very exaggerated statements have I been made publicly in regard to the workmen . j employed at the new Parliamentary Library. j Oil Saturday it was stated that the brick- | ' layers declined to go on with their work be--1; cause their wages were slightly overdue. . j What happened was this : The men had lost [ some time at Easter, and in order to make ; the week as full as possible Mr Smith, the j Government inspector of the work, did not ' i measure up till Friday night or Saturday - ; morning. When the particulars reached the i j office of the Under-Secretary for Public , i Works they had to be examined and checked, j and this could not be done in time to enable | a cheque to be written and the money drawn f before the. bank’s usual time of closing on j Saturday. These facts coming to the know- | ledge of the men, some of them indulged in the customary growl. That, however, proved to be “ too previous,” for the Public Works’ officers worked till 1.30, and the bank officials remained at their posts till wo o’clock in order that the wages of the | men might be drawn in due form. Accord - i irigly the men got their money in the after- ! noon. ; The Hon W. Hall-Jones, Minister ! of Public Works, has instructed the inspector ! to measure up the men’s work in future on j Thursday, so that they may be paid at the ! usual time every Saturday. Of course the work done on Friday and Saturday, will be added to that of the succeeding week. ; At one time a great outcry was raised against the “ Labour Journal ” issued by the Government, but now the journal is not only in. general favour throughout the colony, but has many sincere admirers elsewhere. By the last mail Professor Edward Jones wrote from the United States as follows :—“I write to ask that my.name he put down as a subscriber for the “ Journal of the Department of Labour," the valuable journal issuing fi’om your office. I have used it to a considerable extent in classes in economic problems in the university with which I am connected (the University of Wisconsin), and it is one of the most acceptable and serviceable publications with which lam acquainted.” Mr J. H. Calder, Head Commissioner of Agriculture and Labour, wrote by the same mail as follows from Montana, United' States': —“ I am specially interested in the economic conditions in New Zealand! My heart is with her people in . their progress. Will you be kind enough to procure me such documents as Will help me to an understanding of the industrial state of your country. If you can let me have a complete set of the “Labour Journals ' and the reports of your office I should be glad." Similar letters praising the journal and its methods have been received from eminent university professors, commercial men and prominent politicians throughout Canada, in almost every country in Europe, and every State of the American Union. To-night, at the instance of, a deputation from a public meeting, the Public Works Committee of the City Council resolved to recommend the Council to remit to the ratepayers the question of establishing a crematorium. The Council is specially authorised of Parliament to follow this course. ■