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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8950, 14 January 1888, Page 4

The advance of the New Zealand aboriginal is phenomenal. No other native race has exhibited such receptiveness as they, for our good and bad habits, but especially the bad ones. The facility afforded by the Insolvency Courts for clearing off debts had long ago an attraction for them, it seemed to fit in so naturally to their nature, and a goodly number of them have not failed to take advantage of it. But the strike which is threatened in the Lake Country, on the aboriginal relief works, is a no less remarkable prool of their adaptednesa to the various ways of the civilised. The eight hours' movement has not yet penetrated into aboriginal coteries, for the sufficient reason that they are not as a rule given to eight hours' work ; but it is very clear that they have a very correct appreciation of the importance of full wages. In fact work with them is not a matter of consideration so much as good wages, and thou they are inclined by nature and habit to accept of as short hours as we please, they do not regard remuneration in the same light. Works have been started on the Hot Lake end of the Rotorua Railway, to give employment to the unemployed natives, but they are not content with the rate of wages which has been deemed good enough for the unemployed of their pakeha fellow-countrymen. From the simple habits of their lives four shillings a day may be a luxurious sum, and if the truth were told, it is not the smallness of the pay they feel so much as the largeness of the amount of work required for it; and, if they condescend so far as to labour at all, they feel apparently that a special recompense should be made to them for the sacrifice of their ease, which is not warranted in the case of Europeans, to whom work is a customary thing. If the difficulty with them continues, we venture to say that the easiest way of satisfying their agitation would be to abolish the works altogether, and give them the payment for looking at them. This course would be more consonant with their habits, and would save their selfrespect in being called on to accept remuneration fit only for Europeans. It will be seen that they have telegraphed to the Minister of Public Works on the subject, and whatever may be the result of the application, an aboriginal strike in favour of higher wages is noteworthy as ! marking a distinct stage in the advance of the aboriginal.