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Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 11

The committee of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, after a lengthy discussion, carried the following- motion by a large majority:—"That this committee is of opinion that the Harbour Board was justified in giving preference to a local builder with a view to encouraging ship-building in the Port, and does not think the net amount of preference, as explained to the committee by Mr Loudon, is in the circumstances excessive; but at the same time it expresses its regret that when calling for tenders the board did 1 not make it clear that it intended to give such local p reference." The building trade in Dunedin is considered to ibe more brisk at the present time than it lias been for many years past. There is an extraordinarily large amount of building going on, and the number of buildings in course of erection includes about eight of very large size. The demand for tradesmen has seldom been greater, and the supply is not equal to requirements, and in some instances 12s per day is being paid in order to seoure men. There are about 530 carpenters in full employment in Dunedin at the present time. Apparently there is a decided scarcity of building tradesmen in the country districts, while inquiries have been made from Southland for men at 12s per day. The demand of the banks for Australian notes appears insatiable. Official estimates of the number required have long ago been exceeded, and the issue has gone well over the £9,000,000 mark. It promises to reach before the end of November the £10,000,000 face value authorised by regulation. As the officials are confident that the 10s note to be issued as soon as machinery arrives will be exceedingly popular, an Order-in-Oouncil has been passed extending the authorised amount to £12,000,000. A Christchurch message states that at present there are eight industrial disputes, 14 compensation cases, and six other matters awaiting to be dealt with by the Arbitration Court- in the city and district. Messrs Powley and Keast have received a cablegram from London stating that they have been awarded a gold medal at the Festival of Empire for bottled ale.

" The time is near at hand when we must organise and work for a six-hour day," was a remark made by Mr W. L. Duncan, president of the Labour Council, in proposing the toast of " The Day We Celebrate " at the Eight Hours banquet at Sydney on September 30. He said that in his opinion six hours was enough for any man to work, and the large assemblage cheered. The speaker concluded by saying that the great advantages to which the Eight Hours movement was leading were now within their grasp. Let them reach up and take them. Mr Farrar, in responding to the toast, said that the Eight Hours movement was going out, and it waste be succeeded'by the Six Hours movement. His motto was " A six-hour day, and then a four-hour day." The chairman (Mr D. Sullivan, president of the Eight Hours Committee) endorsed the remarks regarding a six hours day when he rose to propose the toast of ''The Federal and State Ministers and Parliaments."

A correspondent at Wellington, writing to 'a gentleman in Adelaide, and enclosing a money order for Is 2d, says: —"I have had to pay sixpence to transmit this amount, which shows that New Zealand and Australia want a little reciprocity. I could transmit the amount to any other British possession for one penny." The Adelaide recipient of the letter adds: — "It is high, time something was done to remove the existing disabilities between the Commonwealth and our Empire neighbour, the Dominion. Fancy in these days New Zealand postal notes are not negotiable in Australia ! If a New Zealander wants to pay a bill amounting to (say) a shilling he has to spend sixpence in addition to get the money order" The question of levying a license fee on motor-car drivers who plied for carriage of passengers was discussed at the last meeting of the Ashburton Borough Council. One councillor expressed the opinion that every owner of a motor car should be specially taxed, whether he plied for hire or not. In regard to cars that were used for the conveyance of passengers, it was thought that application iov a license should be endorsed by the Sergeant of Police that the chauffeurs were competent and reliable drivers. The Mayor replied stating that Sergeant Fouhy had declined to endorse any statement as to a man's competency, becawas he d«J «oo* jawfess to be an expert.