The Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 30, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 391, 30 July 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 30, 1877.

The fact recorded in our telegraphic j columns this evening that sixty employes j have been thrown out of work through ; the closing of Messrs. Lightband, Allan", j and Co.'s boot and s'loe manufactoiy at 1 Christchureh for a fortnight, in order to J bring about a reduction of wages, will, j we presume, be viewed as one of the evidences of the unexampled prosperity ■which, according to the Governor's late opening speech, the Colony is at present enjoying. Ti.is is the kind of progress, however, that most sensible men who do not gaze through Government spectacles will learn with genuine regret. We do not assert that the Government of the country is directly answerable for the j stagnation in business which seems to pervade the commercial centres of the Colony at the present moment; but we

object to the Ministry taking credit to itself for having brought about commercial activity and progress when the reverse is known on all hands* to be the case. We hope that the dispute that has arisen between Messrs.LiGHTBAND, Allan. and Co. and their employes, which has necessitated the extreme measures that have been resorted to, will be settled amicably. The history of strikes throughout the world points to the desirableness of consideration on the part of masters and men, and we trust that in the present case that, whilst the firm that has betp necessitated to close its doors will not be. oppressive, the men will not be too exacting.