THE ARTISAN LABOUR QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4912, 14 August 1877, Page 2

THE ARTISAN LABOUR QUESTION.

The committee appointed at the recent meeting of artisans met yesterday afternoon, in the Mechanics' Institute, to consider what steps should be taken for the furtherance of the end in view. Mr. J. T. Boylan was voted to the chair, the other geutlcmcu present being .Messrs. D. Goldie, Phillip?, Cook, Heslop, and Captain Daldy. At thu desire of the chairman, Mr. Heslop briefly recited the proceedings at the meeting which had elected the oominittee, and Mr. Phillips, as President of the Trade and Labour Council, enumerated the grievances which t:;,.. artisans laboured under and desired to .<?■.■ e removed. Captain Daldy considered tha: in the past the Government had exposed it?elf -to strong censure for the manner in whi::li New Zealand material had been negk-ete !, aud foreign and inferior material prerenal, aud that too at enhanced prices. Ti:.-y had a striking example of this iii the construction of the Ouehunga Briuge. The Government deliberately prescribed tlut material from Western Australia in no way superior to the local varieties should be use.l. They could not use the pl;a of ignorance i atheir excuse, for the Auckland Harbour Hoard furnished them with full information regarding the Queen street Wharf aud the durability of the indigenous woods used in its construction. The fact was that Government engineers had beeu too proud in X.?\v Zealand, as when they came to the country they would not condescend to learn ;i'ivthing the knowledge of which they did nut already possess. At the present time the erection of a wharf had been decided mi, and would shortly be commenced. The timber to be used was blue gum, which, of course, would have to be imported. manufacturers had a higher opinion uf New Zealand woods than the Government appeared to have, for in England railway carriages were now being made of kauri. Hβ was opposed to the imposition of protective duties, but was strongly convinced that the Government should spend iu New Zi alaud every pound for which a pound's worth could be obtained.—The Chairman o>:! sidered the bust way to attain the objcoi '.lie artisans had in view was for them to act as their co-agitators iu Chriitchurch and Dm-possible.-—After suggestions had beeu ui-idu by Messrs. Heslop, Cook, aud Goldie, the last-named gentleman proposed, and it was agreed to, that Mr. Boylau and Captain IJaldy should draft a memorial, and submit it to a meeting, to be held on the following day, at the same time aud place.—The tenor of the memorial having been decided oi, the committee adjourned.