Melbourne, September 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 301, 22 September 1888, Page 3

Melbourne, September 12.

THE COAL STRIKE. The failure of the negotiations for the settlement of the coal strike has given rise to a feeling of consternation in this city, it is now taken for granted that the struggle will be one of endurance between the miners and the masters. Whatevor the result of that straggle may be, neither of these parties will be the greatest sufferers. The other trade organisations are making numerous and liberal contributions and levies for the support of the miners on, strike, while the Victorian Employers' Union has voted £2,000 per week tor four weeks, to assist the masters in their struggle, while they are also receiving assistance from other quarters. It is not upon these parties that the evil results of the strike fall, but on the hundreds of workmen who are being thrown out of employment by the stoppage of factories through the want or costliness of coal. More than one thousand are already out of work from this cause, and some twelve or fourteen steamers are idle. There is not the slightest doubt that should the strike continue, thousands of workmen in both Melbourne and Sydney will be idle. It has been said that the effect of the strike would be to leave Melbourne in total darkness, but this is very unlikely. The Eras companies in both Melbourne and Sydney have warned their customers to be economical in the consumption of coal, as if such warnings were needed nowadays, and meanwhile they are obtaining supplies of coal from those mines which are still working. Hundreds of tons of tirewood are brought into Melbourne by rail every day for household purposes, and wood will be usedasfuel tosupply theeiectric light to the Exhibition whenever necessary. Therefore, the worst consequences of the strikewillbethestoppageof the difterentfac tories and other works which cannot be carried on without coal. Bushmen engaged in the cutting of firewood are reaping a harvest by the strike.

COAL FROM NEW ZEALAND. Surprise is expressed at the neglect of th q New Zealaad colliery proprietors to tak advantage of the splendid market in Au&~ tralia for coal. Prices exceed 40s per ton' and I am bold that hundreds of thousands of tons of New Zealand coal could be placed readily enough. The immediate benefit to the New Zealand collieries would be great, and they would at the same time gain a splendid advertisement for the future. Newcastle is at present crowded with shipping awaiting cargo, and there are no less than 58 large ships and barques there, with an aggregate tonnage of over 50,000 tons.

THE MOANATAIARI MINE. Mr John Buchanan, having floated the Paroquet mine, is now engaged in negotiating the sale of the Moanataiari, with every prospect of success. Se\eral Coromandel properties are under ofter. The speculative fever is still very strong in Melbourne, and if the mining exhibits now being sent to the Exhibition are suffiiently good to restore confidence in the minds of capitalists, the result will be a large influx of Victorian capital for the further development of our mining industry. It is difficult, indeed, to gauge the amount of capital now in Melbourne awaiting fair investment in any of the adjacent colonies where the inducement is leasonably great.

THE PROPERTY BOOM. The boom in property conbituies a» groat as ever, and day after day sales are reported which yield immense pi*ofits to speculators who have only held for a few weeks. The number of new buildings being erected ie surprising, and some idea of their extent may be gathered from the fact that three or four blocks now in course of construction are to rise to a height of ten storeys. And notwithstanding all this building, the rents of dwelling-houses in Melbourne are very high, and are rising, while it is very difficult to obtain eligible cottage residences in the suburbs. Evidences of prosperity exist on every hand, and the difference between pi-otectionist Melbourne and free-trade Sydney in this respect is marked.

NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE EXHIBITION. Visitors from New Zealand to the Exhibition are arriving in crowds. They come by every steamer and train, and the average exceeds over hundred a week. The New Zealand Court, which, by the way, is undergoing considerable improvement now, is daily filled with familiar faces, and one would, for the time being, believe himself in either an Auckland or Wellington building. There is no difficulty in obtaining accommodation in Melbourne, and even when the Cup rush sets in lodging will be easy enough to obtain.