Our Auckland Letter.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 29

Our Auckland Letter.

(FKOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT .),

February 16th.

The Hon. the Premier, during his stay here, is being well received in the various districts. As might be expected, he has been besieged by numberless deputations upon every conceivable subject, but he has headed the whole of them off as dexterously as Mr Sheehan himself could have done, by keeping the objects solicited by them " steadily in view." The interview between the Premier and the ex-Premier on the Otago runs question furnished an exhibition of word-fencing and argumentative dexterity which was creditable to the intellectual ingenuity of the contestants. Sir George Grey presumedly headed a ■ deputation, but the gentlemen composing it were simply dummies, and only played the rple of spectators during the. discussion which took place between the above august personages. Erom what.hacl already taken place no one Relieved ( that the great proconsul would ever approach the Premier with a request of any kind, or recognise him as the head of the Government, and therefore Sir George's sudden arrival from Kawau on the Otago runs business was a complete surprise to all parties. The public are under the impression that the Premier had much the best of it in (the tussle of* wits that ensued. There had been some idea of calling a public meeting here on the Otago runs question, but it was wisely abandoned on the ground that the Aucklanders could know little of the merits of the case, besides savouring of ',impertmence as interfering with the domestic affairs of Otago. The general conviction is that if the Otago people, through their Waste Lands Board, are themselves satisfied with the arrangements made, nobody else need complain. The Premier is also making the most of his time in visiting^the Northern districts, in company with Mr|Hobbs, M.H.R. for the Bay of Islands ; andit is ho^ed that his tour will be productive of beneficial results to the sadlyneglected North, in the promotion of better lines of communication and of much-needed public works. At the banquet given to the Premier at Kawakawa he stated that if the local member (Mr Hobbs) had his way every creek would be bridged and every road made throughout the district. The residents are hopeful that such rare persistency on their member's part will in due season meet its reward at the hands of the Government. Mr Sheeban, anxious to redeem himself in the eyes of his constituents, whose interests he was charged at the late general election with neglecting, has ' extracted a ' promise from the Premier that that he will visit the Thames goldfields and Upper Thames districts on his way Waikatowards, and- the "sturdy beg■gars " at the Thames are already gleeful at the prospect of another successful raid on the Treasury. A joint-stock enterprise is at present being floated, called the Auckland Agricultural and Mercantile Company, for the purpose of com- ! msneing milling and erecting granaries, so as to compete more effectually in this market with the Otago and Canterbury millers and merchants. The farmers- are favourable <to the project, believing that with the increased competition they will get a better price for wheat. They are complaining sadly at the price offered this season by the local .millers— from 4s 3d to 4s 7d per bushel — and even at this figure they are indisposed to buy. The crop haß been a fine one, averaging from 35 to 40 bushels per, acre, an,d, , in some cases as high 'as 55 has been obtained. Some of the farmers in the vicinity of Auckland declare that they will send their wheat to Sydney rather than submit to the prices offered them, insisting ■that less than 5s will not give them any profit ;,on their labquryhaving regard to. the artificial ! price of land m the neighbourhood of Auck- | land. The millers, on the other hand, aver that they cannot give a price which debars I them from competing with Otago and Canterbury men in the Auckland market, and that their patriotism is, not strong enough for them to submit to be ruined for the special benefit of j the local farmers. One firm of Auckland millers (Bycroft and Co.), with perhaps the best-appointed milling establishment and bisouit factory in the Colony, evidently do not consider the business as a gold-mine, for they i have offered the whole .concern, to the new company if they are anxious to coin money at it.

Considerable interest is taken in the approaching Native meeting, and quite a number of our citizens have signified their intention of going up to it. Great importance is attached to the recent visit of Tawhiao, as marking a new turning'point in Native relations, Its beneficial effect upon the English public, as affecting immigration and the prospects of obtaining a fresh loan, are also duly appreciated. The account of Tawhiao's reception and visit has been scattered broadoast over Great Britain through the inadium of the Press, a great majority 01 the citizens sending Home copies of the Herald summary to their friends, such being the demand that thousands more could have been sold, and a few hours after its publication prices ranging from Is 6d to 2s 6d were paid for odd copies. i

Our new Graving Dock has advanced a stage. The first contract for preliminary works in preparing the site is now, fast approaching completion, and a second sum of £4000 has been voted by the Board to carry on the work of excavation. As it is necessary at this stage that the dimensions of the dock should be determined to some extent, the report of the Dock Committee was adopted, making the minimum depth of water on the sill 30 feet, though an attempt may be made to get 33.' As to length and breadth of dock, it will be superior in these respects to either the Sydney or Melbourne docks, and accommodate, if necessary, ' the flagship _of the Australian sc[uadrqn, th,e Board being determined this time not to repeat the blunder of " spoiling the ship for a pennyworth of tar." As this determinatiqn will necessitate an increase qJ the B'qaVd/s finances, in all prqhatylity the present Jfarbour Board, lqana, will be consolidated, ancl a frssh one issued at 5 per cent, with a currency pi 3Q years, fresh powers foeing obtained j;q b,qrrqw an additional £100,000, the security being deemed by capitalists amply sa,tisfa.ctpry. Considerable interest \a befogf taken fa the a.p,prpach.ing eleotiqns fqr Cjtj Licensing Coinrn.issjo.ners under the new Licensing AQt. Both the Good Templars and licensed victuallers are showing considerable moderation, being each desirous of standing well with the general public in the approaching contest. Negotiations have been going on between the two bodies to get a combined ticket and thus avoid a struggle; but the L.V.A., while willing to accept moderate men — that is, moderate drinkers — will not accept the candidature of any teetotaller, contending that his being so will prevent him from being impartial in the fulfilment of the duties of a Licensing Commissioner. From such a standpoint no possible compromise could be effected, and the, outcome is that both parties have published their tioketa," and are rallying th,eir supporters to

{fight the matter out at the ballot-box. Some I curious incidents have cropped up in the affair, , which could scarcely have been contemplated by the framers of the Act, in which private parties are endeavouring to make the new law subserve private ends and secure personal advantage.

The greatest social event of the month, or at least that which has created most interest, has been the lock-out of a portion of the employes of the Union Sash and Door Company, so far as their town factory is concerned, owing to the refusal of the men to work overtime at day rates. Such a step as punishing men for refusing to work overtime at day rates is one unparalleled in the history of the trade here, and the men in consequence have received the support and sympathy of their own and sister trades, as well as that of the general public. The real question at issue is— Shall labour share the profits of capital in operations in which both are engaged ? In the dull times the employes were made partners in the Company's adversity, but now that the turn of the wheel has come, arid the timber "harvest", is being reaped, the latter declines to permit the men to be partners in its good fortune. Not only was a request by the men to obtain their old standard of pay refused, but in the face of a 17£ per cent, dividend, a respectable working balance carried forward, and £600 appropriated , by the directors as honorarium, another turn of i the hydraulic screw was attempted by informing the men that " till further notice " they must work from 7.30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with one hour and a-quarter in all for refreshment), at day rates. This was the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the men, believing that the new move on the part of the management was merely a stealthy attempt to break up the eight-hour system ruling in the trade, accepted the consequences, and went out " till further notice," some of them after 17 years' seryice. They are rapidly falling into work in all directions, and even the building contractors are, sympathising with them, they in their turn, with time contracts on hand, feeling the pinch, of the shoe through the adroit " cornerings" in timber, which hassentup the price of thatarticle 20 to 30 per cent. The men are now asking what percentage of profit would be high enough to satisfy the capitalists, and at the same time, give a margin to labour. Evidently 17| per cent, is not sufficient, or any other figure, if the new rule, "Heads I win, tails you lose/ is to govern the relations of companies to their employes. The artisans of the Union Sash and Door Company who have gone out are perhaps the finest body ofj skilled operatives in the province, and nothing but the most egregious folly would ever have suffered such a body of men to get out of hand; The beauty of the thing is that the Company has not ventured to enforce the ukase which cost it its finest artisans, on the nondescripts who have been obtained in part to fill thbu: places. One result of the dispute has been to call public attention to the flagrant abuses which have grown up |in connection with the timber industry generally— an industry giving employment in Auckland to thousands of bushmen. It appears the " truck " system is in full blast in many mills, and the result is that the bushmen are kept in a state of chronic impecuniosity, which prevents them from successfully resisting the impositions practised upon them.

Fortunately, Auckland has hitherto been free from strikes, and masters and men have got on very comfortably, labour getting its due recognition, and capital its fair reward ; but the bitterness arising out of the above trade dispute is extending to other trades*, and a distrust arising between labour and capital which it is' simply lamentable t6 witness. The ill-considered, action of the Union Sash and Door Company has done \ more to create class feuds, beget a hatred of capital and capitalists, and imbue the masses with a belief that "property is robbery,!' than all Sir George Grey's demagogic addresses put together. It gave an impression that the workman, debarred from leisure for self-improvement and recreation, was simply to become the " serf " which Sir George Grey predicted would be his fate at the hands of capital when a fair opportunity arrived fot exercising its power. f Some of the. directors of the above Company, there is 'reason to believe!, deprecate and regret the action taken, and itp unhappy consequences ; but they have been overruled by others connected with the institution, who, " hasting to get rich," believe in no other gospel than the " commercial article" ana the sharebrokers'list, and who regard "the whole duty of man," as far as they are concerned, as comprised in securing fat dividends. As might naturally be expected, combinations of Capital are being met by combinations of Labour, and among the prospects of the near future is Trade Uwpfliam. in its intensest form, with m.a.ny, ol the evils which follow in itt train.. ; Turning from this unpleasant topic,' it is cheering to note that theartisan and labouring classes m Auckland have been availing themselves of the prosperity of the past year in pror viding for a rainy day. During 1881 they Have laid aside in the Auckland Savings Bank or the Post-office Savings Bank nearly £2000 a week_ out of_ their wages' fund, and have in both institutions at the present moment nearly £400,000 at call. Self help is the best of all help, and the toiling masses are finding out that a comfortable little bank balance— the re|suit of personal frugality and industry— is of more service to them in the hour of adversity than all the fine speeches of the friends of "the human race." Perhaps at no previous thme in, the history of Auckland ha.ye the labouring classes manifested a stjrpflger desire to obtain freeholds of theft own, or greater willingness to make the needed sacrifices to, obtain that end, and everyone who desires the general, welfare of the community must be gratified, to, witness such a spirit of thrift and, manly independence on the part of a class buj; too, frequently and justly reproached with carelessness of the future and reckless improvidence.

There is at present a, great deal of sickness prevailing, an,d, ta\yn and country alike scourged with, scarlet fever and typhoid!. Some of the country localities ought to be healthy enough, and. no apparent ca,use can be assigned ; but in. the suburban districts it is referable mainjy ti> an inefficient water supply and, bad drainage. On,e of these districts (ParftelJ!), owing to an ignorant impati^noe o| taxation^ rejected, by a popular volte an. attempt made to. bring in the ojty water supply, an 4 its residents are now paying the penalty in a heavy mortality bill a,nd medical and undertakers' expenses*