Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1890.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 131, 4 June 1890, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1890.

The last volume of Statistics issued from the office of the Registrar General contains a table showing the average rates of wages in each Provincial district of New Zealand during the year 188.. We cannot but think that the compiler has taken, a somewhat rose coloured view of the matter, but the wage oarners of Nelson will be able to judge for themselves if we quote a few itoma and so give them an opportunity of seemg 1 the rates that are set down for this district. The first on the list are farm labourers, whose average wages are reported to be 2l)a per week and board, or Gs without board ; reapers, mowers, and threshers 25s a week and board. Then we come to artizan labour -.—Masons, plasterers, bricklayers, ship wxights, and plumbers 123 a day ; smiths Us ; wheelwrights 10a ; carpenters and painters 9s ; shoemakers 8s 6d ; and saddlers Bs. Under the class "Servants" are, married couples w.thout family, with board, £00 per annum ; grooms, with board, 20s per week ; needlewomen, with board, 15s per week. Under " miscellaneous " are, general labourers, without board, 7s per day ; stonebreakers lis per cubic yard ; tailors 9a per day ; tiuloresses and dressmakers ss ; milliner;: -ia Od ; and machinists 2s ; storekeepers' assistants 3us per week ; drapers' and grocers' assistants, butchers, and bakers IDs ; etorenaen 55d. Perhaps these different olaf>sos will like to learn how their reported wages compare with those stated to be paid elsewhere, so we will take the district of Wellington by way of comparison, and c n the whole the Kelson working classes will fiud that, supposing the , figures to be correot, they have nothing; to

complain of. FaUffi labourers are set down at 1 5s to 20s per week, with board ; reapers aud mowers 25s to 30s j threshers 20a to 253. For artizan labour, masons 93 to 12s ; plasterers 12a ; bricklayers 9s to 12s 6d ; carpenters 8s to 10s ; smiths 8s to 12s ; wheelrights 8s to lls; shipwrights 9s to 103 ; plumbers 8s to 12s ; painters and saddlers 7s to 10s : shoemakers 8s to 10*?. Married couples without families appear ti be somewhat better off, the wages, with board, being given -as £70 to £90 ; grootna 20s to 27a 61 per week; cooks 15-i to 303; general house suivantß and housemaids B.^ to 15s ; needlewomen, with board, 10s to 16s. General labourers are reported to have revived 63 to 8 j p^r thy ; and stone'ireakars 2a Gd to 3a 31 per cubic yard. The Welling. lon s'one must pui't.ly be more easily cracked than that oa which tho men are employed in Nelson Tailors' wages are given at 8s to lla per day ; lailoresses and dressmakers 3d to 6s ; milliners 43 to 6s ; and machinists 6a to 7s. Storekeepers' and grocers' assia ants 50s per week ; drapera' assistants 70s ; butchers, bakers, and storemea 403 to GOa. Another tab'e is devoted to the average prices of produce, live stock, provisions, <&0., and here we find wheat set down at 43 6d, barley 3s 6d, and oats 33 per bushel ; bay £4 per toD. In Otago the prices are quoted at 2a 9d to 3a 63 ; 3s to 3s Od ; and la 9d to 23 7d respectively ; while in Auckland they are set down &b3s to 4s 63; 23 6d to 4a ; and 23 4d to 3a 6d, From these figures it will be seen that there is a considerable .margin between the prices in different localities, and that it wou'd be very dimou't to prepare a list of ■■New Zealand" prices. Then compare the prices of dairy produce: — Butter ; Auckland, 6d to Is per Ib ; Nelson, 7d ; Ofcago, Bil to 13J. Or cheese : Auckland, 4^l to 5d ; Nalbod, 6d; Otago, 61 loßd. There is evultmly a good trade to ba doae in the latter arii^o between South and Nor.h. Fat ciltle are quottd at 4j 10J to &5 par head in Auokiand; £(5 in Neson ; and £6 to £10 in Otogo. Whether or not the Registrar General ia a reliable authority on market prices we must leave our readers to judge,