WELLINGTON NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9008, 15 August 1907, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[From Ora Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 14. A leading sawmiller in the Wellington district informed a member of the " Post " staff this morning that there was no foundation for the statement made by Mr Barber as to the existence of a timber trust in the city. The miller said that for several years timber merchants had been making hardly any profit owing to the increased cost of supplying the city markets." "In fact," he asserted, "some of us have been working for the public and not for ourselves. ' He admitted that the merchants had agreed to bring the prioes to a level which would cigar the cost md leave something For themselves, but he denied that the present rates were higher than they should be. The bushes within reasonable distance «_ the country towns are being cut out, and as the millers have to obtain logs further afield the retail cost of timber in the cities is proportionately increased. . , A dramatio strike of one happened in Wellington the other day. A carter discontented with his wageis had handed ,in his resignation, but had decided to work on for a week in accordance with the ordinary understanding about notice. One afternoon in the middleof the week he loaded up nis cart with miscellaneous stores for a round of customers, and then issued an. ultimatum. He declared that he would ' not deliver the goods unless' He received an advance of ten shilling in his salary. The striker, who was in charge of commodities which customers were expecting ; considered _, he occupied a strategic position, and stuck to his guns, in spite of the fire of argument that he had drawn upon himself. The employers would not yield to the demand, and the striker went hie way, leaving the horse and cart standing in the street.