MR FIRTH AND HIS EMPLOYEES. THE PRESENTATION. Auckland, July 13.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 385, 17 July 1889, Page 4

MR FIRTH AND HIS EMPLOYEES. THE PRESENTATION. Auckland, July 13.

Owixg to the lateness of the hour at which the presentation was made to Mr J. C. Firbh yesterday afternoon by his late em" ployees, that gentleman's reply did not appear in yesterday's issue. In answer to Mr E. Tremain, who read the address, Mr Firth said that although they would no longer be connected as master and men, still it would be quite impossible for time or circumstances to withdraw his sympathy from them or to alter their relations as friends. He was on the verge of losing all his property — all his hard earnings for 35 years — but as long as he could feel that it had not been through his own fault — as long as he could believe that he had been a victim, perhaps to too great a belief in the quick fortunes of the country, he was satisfied. Perhaps he had expected a little too much. The mistake he and others had made was that of expecting the country to be made in a day. Rome was not, and ib should not have been expected in New Zealand. He had not) anticipated that produce would gradually and steadily decrease in price for 10 years. To day £5 was obtained for a bullock which years ago would have reali&ed £15. Everything else was in like proportion until recently. Now, the country was recovering: itself, but he was out ot it, his lands had gone from him, and this grand construction which he looked upon as a child of himself and also of his eldest son, could, if worked fairly, produce sound wholesome goods in a" -nay that no mill could surpass. They had the advantage that the mill still stood and would be left to benefit the community. The earnings of his liletime had gone. He had worked hard, as they knew who had worked with him, but he had never made a penny wrongfully. "Why should he complain ? Many a better man had been deprived of ohe earnings of a lifetime, and as long as he had health and was enabled to keep his honour he would not murmur. Ec did not look upon his men as things to be thrown away when worn out ; he had looked on them as friends. After his visit to America he had decided never to worK men more than eight hours on a shift. Well, he had not been able to carry it out, but the eight hours system begun in Auckland by others, and not by himself, had become general, and had extended to Australia, England, the Continent and many of the States of America. Alfred the Great was the first man to support the eight hours' movement. He divided his time eight hours for work, eight for recreation, and eight for sleep. In concluding, Mr Firth thanked the men for their handsome present, shook hands all round, and expressed the hope that they might find plenty of employment and a better master than he had been.