DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3960, 3 November 1875, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

This forenoou Messis M. W. Hawkins, H. Itrenchley, and J. B. M'Culloch waited upon the Superintendent, and brought under his Honor's notice the unfair, ess of the prisoners employed on "ell Hill being allowed to compete with free labor in the sale of stone.

It was pointed out by the deputation that the effect of the sale by the Government of the stone quarried by the prisoners was practically to stop woik in most, of the Tunnies in atd --.found Dunedin, In cause the Bell Hill stone was not only preferred by buddeis because it could be more easily woilcd, and cartage was in its favor, but the bost stone was picked out, an<l there was given as a !o id what three horses could draw, which w s really a load and a half; whereas the quarrymen only allowed as a load what a single horse could draw, and they were obliged to sell to the builders a fair proportion of the small stuff with the large rubble, the consequence being that the Government were underselling the hbor market by from 4s to 5s per perch. The price for average rubble at the qaorries around Dunedin was five shillings per load. Bencbley and M'Cuiloch. at Maclaggan strceV, got 6s 6d ; Mr Bel!, at Hillside, and Mr 'Tawkius. at M'G'avh.i .'s, jrol s*; and at Logan's Foint, where the stouo was inferior, lie price was 4«. The Govern- cnt got 6s, iiecause, as had been pointed out, of the supoiiority of tho stone and its accessibility. Inconsequence of the competition of tho Government, Brenchley'w quany now only gave employment, and that partial, to four man, whereas it had formerly employed more; and tluwkiuu had been obliged to . ntop one of his quarries, while in the other " the men were only working from hand to mouth." Until Bell Hill was down the quarrymen would not be able to Bell a perch of stone ; and they asked that in future culy ord n.<ry roads should be sold by the Government. His Honor replied tht the matter had been before him s me six months ago, when he ..u 'gosted that the quarryimn should take Bell Hill upon their own hands. The Government have Bell Hill removed, as they were no.v paying a considerable sum in the way of demurrage, dtill, lie did not think the Government were justified in interfering with free labor: he did not believe in it himself: but this was a specialty, inasmuch as tin* Hill must be removed, and probably Mr Cairns might be uuder engagement to simply a en tain quantify. It wjw a hardship,'but so k.ngas. the stone lasted and there was a demand for it, it would come into competition with that supplied by the quarries. There was oae comfort—it was only a question of time. He would have the matter looked into and see Mr Calms about it. The deputation then withdrew.