NATIVE LABOUR.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 107, 9 June 1847, Page 2

NATIVE LABOUR.

Amidst the sounds of war from the South, we turn with no little pleasure to witness the pi ogress which the Natives employed on the Ordnance Woiks are making in the arts of civilization. New-Zealanders, fresh from the country, appear to acquire a knowledge ot all the details ot masonry in a few weeks, without, as at home, having to undergo a lengthened " service vile" in cairying bricks and making mortar. So weJl pleased are the directors of the works, that, we understand, it is their intention in future to complete the stone-work of the Boundary Wall at Albert Barracks with Native masons only, under their own superintendance. The system adopted to encourage them to improve themselves, is highly to be commended. The labourers are divided into three classes, accoiding to their pioficiency. Those in the third or entrance class obtain 2s. a day ; when they have become good workmen, they come under the second class, and receive 2s. 6d. a day ; when these again are capable of undertaking finishing work, and have acquired a certain degree of dispatch, they receive the first class wages ot 3s. 6d. a day. In connexion with the Maoris employed at the Barracks is a Night School, where, in addition to the usual routine, they are instructed in those te»ms of art which are found in connexion with their particular employment. Ii has been frequently slated that the Natives could not be made to fix their attention for any length of time on one kind of em- i ployment ; but the system adopted at the Government Buildings has, hitherto, had the effect of making them "stick to their last." We only wish some plan could be adopted which would make the Natives good domestic and farm servants. It would be of great importance to the European as well as the Native population ; for such at present is the great scarcity, indeed we may say entire absence, of while labourers and servants, that scarcely anything conducted on a large scale, or requiring many hands, can be now proceeded with. "We hope to say something on | this subject in our next week's paper, j

Arms Ordinance. — On Monday last, a small coaster, belonging to Mr. Spencer, was to have cleared for Kavvhia ; but as two dozen hatchets, or tomahawks, appeared on the manifest, the Customs refused, under the authority of the Arms Ordinance, to clear the vessel from Manukau, until a license should have been procured from the Resident Magis trate, under the provisions of the Act. The order was applied for, but refused ; nor was the vessel suffered to depart until the obnox. ious articles had been delivered into the custody of the police at Onehunga. In the present exciting times, strictness in construing the Ordinance cannot be complained of ; yet, were the Act a little more specific, some inconvenience might be avoided. We can easily suppose that a tomahawk, such as is used by sailors in boarding, is a warlike weapon,; but such is very different, both in shape and use, from a simple hatchet, such as these appear to have been — an article, in this country, of necessity. The AttorneyGeneral has, we believe, given an opinion on the subject, which, at least, might oe made more generally known. Supreme Court.— On Monday His Honor attended the Supreme Court, but did not take his seat, in consequence of there being no civil cases for tiial. To-day his judgment is to be given in the case of M'lntosh v. Symonds ; whatever that may be, we shall at least remain no longer in suspense concerning this important decision. New Zealand Ballads. — We call the attention of our readers to a Ballad we publish to-day from the pen ol Mr.Merrett ; it is one of a number he has written and illustrated pictorially ; which will be published in Eng- i land, and dedicated to his kind patron liis Excellency Captain Grey.