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New Zealand Mail, Issue 45, 2 December 1871, Page 4

Want of Fires. —The Westporfc Fire Brigade is in danger of being broken up, owing to the apathy of many of the members, and the want of public support. Early Closino. —All the shoemakers in Auckland have consented to join the Early Closing Association there. Saturday Half-Holiday.—The Auckland auctioneers have resolved, in future, to hold their weekly sales on Fridays instead of Saturdays, so as not to interfere with the Saturday half-holiday. The Southern Trusk Railway.—■ We understand it is the intention of the Government at once to proceed with the formation of the remaining portions of of the Southern Trunk Eailway as far as Balclutha. It is the intention to let the same in contracts of eight or ten miles each, so that the various sections of the line will progress simultaneously. Strike.—The " Timaru Herald" of Saturday last says:—ln consequence of the low prices ruling for preserved meats in England, the New Zealand Meat Preserving Company had to decide between two courses—either to suspend operations, or, by reducing the expenses, lessening the cost of production of the article. On the latter course the company decided, and all the men engaged this year have been engaged at a reduced rate of wages on those paid last season. As regarded new men, this was a simple enough matter ; not so with the tinmen, who, being skilled workmen, to replace whom would be a work of time, have been kept steadily employed during the whole interval between the last and the present season. In the one case the men were engaged at a new rate, in the other, a reduction was necessary. To this the tinmen refused to submit, and a strike was the result, this week thirteen hands leaving the employ, the foreman and two or three apprentices only remaining, the others being instantly paid off. Fortunately for the company the strike could not have occurred at a more favorable time for them, as they have an immense stock of ready-made tins, the result of the winter's work, in hand, and by the time these begin to get low a fresh staff of tinsmiths will be broken in to the work.