It would appear from the latest statistics that during the past few
years wages have risen in some trades, and in a few only, have fallen.
In the skilled branches of labour especially the tendency has been
upwards, and the same thing is also noticeable in agricultural labour.
For example, the rates for married couples on stations have risen from
fifty-five to sixty-five pounds in 1876 to sixty or eighty pounds
in 1883. The wages of farm-labourers have risen to fifty pounds or
thereabouts, while only in the case of country blacksmiths have wages
declined, the rates for such being now seventy-five to eighty pounds
per annum. The colony is stated to be capable of readily absorbing any
amount of skilled agricultural labour, especially that of the handy
kind, without affecting the current rates of wages. Agricultural labour
is in more demand than artisan labour, and good industrious hands would
do excellently, as compared with the same class in England, both in
regard to food and pay. With regard to other occupations, the following
rates are paid on the New South Wales railways: clerks, two hundred
to one hundred and fifty pounds per annum; foremen, five pounds ten
shillings to three pounds seven shillings per week; draftsmen, four
pounds fifteen shillings per week; timekeepers, three to two pounds per
week; fitters, 12s. 4d. to 8s. per day; blacksmiths, 12s. 8d. to 10s.
4d. per day; turners, 12s. 2d. to 10s. 2d. per day; pattern makers,
11s. 10d. per day; brass-moulders, 11s. 4d. per day; plumbers, 11s. to
10s. per day; tinsmiths, 11s. to 10s. per day; brass-finishers, 9s. 6d.
to 9s. per day; carpenters, 11s. 6d. to 8s. per day; painters, 11s. to
9s. 8d. per day; strikers, 7s. 4d. to 7s. per day; and cleaners, 7s.
per day. The working day in the case of many trades does not exceed
eight hours.