THE LABOUR MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 15

THE LABOUR MARKET.

Mr Skekb reports for the week endisgr stfi April:— ; < ",', ' No man or woman in New Zealand can honestly say: that at present he or she cannot get plenty iof work and good pay, Although the harvest push is over, the demand keeps up wed for suitable people. Tradesmen have no time for grievances.;; they are better employed, earning ateady wages.' Couples are in high 'favour at present, even with families. Ploughmen are now needed for the winter campaign. Female servants: we have written this subject threadbare,^ and now hand it over to Wellington, whence all "our comforts come. Dairy hands, and Bhephe,rda, gardeners and grooms, and tradesmen of all sorts are ,ia good and healthy demand. " « rit Wages —Day labour,' 7s, Ba,' and 9s ; farm labourers^ 153 and 20s ; threshing mill hands, 25s to 30s ; feeders and drivers, 45s to 50s and 60s ; ploughmen, -£52 to £65 ; couples, stations, farms, &c, £70 to £80 ; hotel men, £1, £1 ss, to £2 10s ; hotel females, 15s 20s, 30s, and 40s ; station cooks, 20s and 25s for winter; girls' for stations, farms, and town, 103, 125, and 15s ; boys, 5s to 10s ; blacksmiths, 60s.

Messrs Grant and M'Neil, Universal Labour Exchange, report :—

We have been very busy during the week, and the labour market continues very brisk. Usually after harvest work is completed labour is very scarce, and' f uumhers of men find great difficulty in finding work, even at reduced wages ; but such is not the case this year, as every available man can, if he .wishes, fibd^, plenty of work and good wages. A number of veryv good men are finding their way from Tasmania and Adelaide, and are meeting ready engagements, and, as they say, much higher wages. ' '

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The following is from the Melbourne Argus :— " A sample of white marble from the Oaswell Sound marble mine, on the coast of New Zealand,' was tested yesterday at the Footscray Stone-cutting Works, and at the establishment of Messrs Chambers and Clutten, in Lonsdale street. The block cut at Footscray weighed about' half a ton, and was divided into nine tablets. The stone is of good colour, closegrained, and easy to work; it takes a high polish, and it [is believed that as soon as the quarries are fully opened, a sufficient quantity of marble can be obtained to supply almost any demand. As soon as the block cut through yesterday is prepared, the tablets will be ex.. Sibited at various places n the city,"