AN UNPOPULAR APPOINTMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3095, 19 January 1909, Page 5

AN UNPOPULAR APPOINTMENT.

A COMMISSIONER OF CONCILIATION.

By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, January 18.

A meeting of unionists passed the following resolution:— "This mass meeting of Auckland unionists protests against the appointment of Mr HarJe Giles as a Commissioner of Conciliation, and pledges itself to refuse to take any case before the Conciliation Council for any other purpose than to nave it referred direct to the Court of Arbitration, for. the reason that Mr Giles is .totally lacking in experience of industrial disputes oit conditions. Although he will have no vote', yet as adviser to the parties in a dispute he would be useless, if not dangerous. For any chance of tha successful working of the Act, it is a primary factor that the commissioner should have the confidence of employers and employees, which we hold Mr Giles does not possess. This meeting, representing all the unions, would respectfully urge upon the Government to reconsider the appointment."

LONDON MARKETS.

Received January 18, 9.3 a.m. LONDON, January 17.

Frozen Meat.—Southland, 11-16 d per lb; North Island, 3|d; best brands, 3 11-16 d; rest, unchanged. Lambs. —Canterbury heavy, 4Jd; rest unchanged. Beef. —Forequarters, 3d; hindquarters, 3§d. Rabbits, firm, prices unchanged.

Hemp, dull, and unchanged. At auction 2,764 bales rabbit skins were offered, and 2,321 sold. Best declined Id, medium, ljd to l 2d; inferior, Id to l-£d; and suckers and kittens, id to Id.' Sixteen thousand quarters Victorian wheat, February-March shipment have been sold at 36s 3d psr quarter.

MEAT TRADE PROSPECTS.

Received January 18, 9.11 a.m. 1 LONDON, January 17. "Weddeli's Review of the Meat Trade" anticipates that beef and lambs may maintain their prices, but mutton does not promise well. The prospective supply'is larger, and the demand less than a year ago.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLE.

The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cable from the High Commissioner, dated London, January 16tb, 1909: — There is a dull sale for all qualities of mutton. River Plate is in large supply, and is being strongly pushed fo • s?le. - The following are the current quotations:—Canterbury, which is in small supply, 3fd; North Island, of which holders 1 are firm, 3&d; River Plate, 3Jd; Australian, 2&d per lb; Dutch mutton is freely offered at 4kl per lb. ' The lamb market is quiet, and has been unfavourably affected by the large supply of Australian lamb. Shipments from the Argentine are increasing, 246,000 arriving this season up to 9th January, as againsl 64,000 at the same time last year. Canterbury lamb .is quoted at sd, and other than Canterbury at 4|d per lb. A small shipment of this season's Napier lambs averages s£d, and River Plate lambs average 4§d per lb. The beef market is dull, hindquarters being quoted at 3§d, and forequarters at 3d per lb. The butter market is rather un«settled, and buyers are holding back, expecting' prices to go lower. All the butter shipped by the s.s. Paparoa arrived in damaged condition It is stated on good authority that 12,000 boxes were jettisoned, and a quarter of the remainder condemned by the health officer. Current quotations are as follows: —Choicest New Zealand Ills, Australian 108s, Danish 115", Siberian 104s, Argentine 108s per cwt. The cheese market is quiet, but holder's are firm. Current quotations are 60s for white and 61s for coloured makes. A small part of the shipment by the s.s. Paparoa arrived in a slightly damaged condition. The hemp market is quiet, with tendency in favour of buyers. Current quotations are:—Good fair on spot, £25; fair grade on spot, £23; fair current Manila on spot, £24. January to March shipments: Good fair grade, £24 10s; fair grade, £22 10s; fair current Manila, £23 10s. Last week' 3 Manila output amounted to 23,000 bales. •

The wool market remains firm. The hop marke.t is quiet but firm. The cocksfoot seed market is quiet, and thee is scarcely any demand at 78s, nominal per bushel o± 171b. New Zealand long berried wheat on spot ex granary per quarter of 4961b, 38snominal;New Zealand shortberried wheat on spot ex granary per quarter of 4961b, 36s nominal. New Zealand short sparrpwbill oats, ex granary on spot, per quarter of 3841b, 245; New Zealand Danish oats, ex granary on spot, per quarter of 3201b, 16s 6d The market is firm, but demand only moderate. New Zealand beans, f.a.q. old crop, per 5041b, 335. The market is firm, with hardening tendency. New Zealand partridge peas, per 5041b, 425. The market is quiet, but steady.