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Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 82, 7 November 1872, Page 2

Lord Derby spoke at some length in August last at the agricultu.-al dinne. , at Bury, on the subject of strikes and the general demand for hig ier on the part of the workmen. Having remarked that there were now two masters to one man, and that in every employment, farming included, were rising, the noble Earl went on to express his doubts as to the per anenee of this condition of things :— The simple explanation of the economical condition of things around us was that the nnnd for labour in all industrial pursuits at present greatly exceeds the supply. But suppose for argument's sake that a million or even half a million of working men could be suddenly added to the population, he apprehended that we should see a rapid change. There would be no more talk of strikes and higher wages. An increas" of population could not happen all at once, but it was a question whether there would not be a rapid increase in a few years. Judging from former experience, high wages among the population inevitably lead to early marriages and increased births. Probably the same causes would still have the same etfecf. In addition to that, the tendency of greater comforts being' attained by the poorer classes would be to check emigration. With respect to sanitary improvements, there would be a great diminution of infant mortality amori? the working classes. In the rTnited. states and the colonies there would be in-

->«f,ition, and in some at least of creased foreign " "** wages might the rural districts the advanced i.... <n *- lead now, as they did three hundred years ago, .. substitution of pasture for tillage, especially if the price of meat continued high. It was then uncerta-n whether the present condition of the labour market would be permanent, and those who might geek to have the command of the market now would do well to use their power with moderation. On t'-e other hand, those who were inclined to c -mplain would do well to think twice before they gave up the game. If he were now talking to agricultural labourers meditating either a strike or a demand for a considerable increase of pay, he should <ry to impress upon them, in their interest, that it d ; d not necessarily follow because they could pretty well mike the r own terras in harvest time that thev wouH be equally able to do so in the winter months. They co-ild not at the same time stand upon their extreme rights and ex-; tort from their employers things which were not a matter of bargain, but of favour. But if he were talking to employers he would tell them that the verv essence of competition, was that every man, within recognised limits, had a perfect right to for liis own, success, even at the expense of ; inconvenience or failure to others. however, that the present demands mteht be met, Ike the people who- resolved to abstain from meat while it was dear. So,, if. labour wa? at famine prices, let them reserve it as far as they could for necessary use. Waste in all things wa3 an English fault, and retrenchment, when possible, was always wise. The well-informed woman may gent rally be known not so much by what she tells you a3 by what 3'ie does not tett you; for she is the last to take : pleasure in mere gossip, or to make vulgar allusion to--the appearance,dress, or"personal habite 'of her friends and neighbours