RATE OF WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 636, 25 January 1872, Page 2

RATE OF WAGES.

To the Editor of the Evening Star. Sib, —Impressed with the belief that the columns of your valuable, impartial, and independent journal are always open for the rectification of public or private wrong I venture to obtrude myselt on your notice for the purpose of soliciting your powerful advocacy in ameliorating the condition of a number of hard-working, industrious set of men at present, and for some considerable time employed in the department of works under the municipal authorities. You may probably be aware that these men some time since petitioned the Corporation for an increase of wages of one shilling per diem (the present rate being five) but up to this period no beneficial result has accrued therefrom, although I believe at the last sitting of the Board, the Foreman of Works was allowed a discretionary power in increasing the rate of wages as far as sixpenco. Now this obviously does not meet the prayer of the petitioners or the exigencies of the case, and it does seem an anomalous state of affairs, that whereas the men employed by the Colonial Government at the railway works receive six shillirgs per day, these hard-working, industrious men who generally have largo families to maintain should only receive the minimum rate under the corporate regime. I therefore trust Mr. Editor, through the medium of your influence, the attention of the civic authorities may at their next meeting be drawn to the present case, that thoy will take it into their favourablo consideration that they will grant the prayer of the interested parties, that they will not be governed by any parsimonious spirit, but that they will give a fructifying evidence of their appreciation of the apothegm, " That the richest crown pearls in a nation, hang from labour's reeking brow." Apologising for my intrusion on your valuable space, I remain, &c. f