During the month matters typographical have run an even course, with the one exception of a little ripple of excitement caused by the calling of a special meeting of this branch of the N.Z.T.A. to consider some proposals which were tantamount to want of confidence in the Federated Trades Council of this city. There was a good attendance at the meeting, which was of a rather lively nature. and the resolutions were thrown out by two votes to one. Mr W. M'Girr, President, was in the chair.

The Labor Conference which has been called together by the Government at the instance of a resolution of the House of Representatives, begins its sittings in the Parliamentary Buildings on 1st October. All the Labor Unions invited are sending delegates, and among the thirty chosen to represent the various bodies are the names of five printers: Mr D. P. Fisher, representing the wharf laborers; Mr Sansford, representing the Canterbury Trades and Labor Council; Mr H. Jones, representing the Wellington Trades Council; and Messrs T. L. Mills and F. Miller, representing the New Zealand Typographical Association.

The dinner of the piece-hands at the Government Printing Office. which came off as notified on the 6th inst., was a great success, There were forty gentlemen present, the Father of the Chapel (Mr H. Jones) being in the chair, the guest of the evening (Mr. T. Gamble, foreman of the room) on his right. The Divider (Mr Fred. Mountier) ably officiated as vice-chairman. The Government Printer and the Secretary of the Wellington Branch of the N.Z.T.A. sent apologies, but Messrs Miller and Swift (Evening Post Chapel), and Messrs Pope and Mills (New Zealand Times Chapel), as well as the President of the Executive Council N.Z.T.A. (Mr D. Archibald) and the President of the Wellington Branch (Mr W. McGirr) accepted the invitations sent to them. Messrs D. Haggett, Ludford, Tierney, and John Rigg (secretary) formed the committee. After the eatables were disposed of a long list of toasts and incidental items was gone through. The principal toasts were:— « Trades Unionism » (Mr McGirr, responded to by Mr T. L. Mills), « N.Z.T.A. » (Mr Haggett, responded to by Mr Archibald), and « The Management » (the Vice-chairmen, responded to by Mr Gamble). Among the musical items was an original song by the the printer-poet, Mr John Ludford, sung by the « only one » himself.

I give three of the stanzas:—

Only One
Only one
Piece-hand here you see—
Only one.
If you'll kindly gaze on me
You'll observe the sunny smile
Of a comp devoid of guile,
Who has made a blooming pile—
But only one!
Only one!
I took my stick and rule—
My only one!
And I squatted on a stool;
Then I felt my pulses throb.
But when four hours on the job
I found I'd only earned a bob-
Only one!
Only one
Session I've worked through-
Only one!
And I've made a record, too,
For the readers came to me,
And they said they must agree
That my « style » was very free—
I'd only one!

Mr Ludford also wrote for the occasion the following

Ode.
God bless the man who first devised the way
To lighten work by intervals of play;
And peace to him who. with « the flowing bowl, »
« The feast of reason and the flow of soul, »
First taught mankind a good and noble plan—
To recognize the brotherhood of man,
And at the board, amidst the friendly smiles,
The « quips and cranks, » the jests, the « wanton wiles, »
The kindly speech, the merry laugh, the song
Which ever to such festive scenes belong,
Grim care and sorrow dare not show their face,
But mirth and friendship occupy their place.
'Tis well, amidst these stirring times of strife,
When bitter feuds and jealousies are rife,
To see that men an honest hand extend,
And recognize their neighbor as their friend:
So may this night throughout the future be
To one and all a pleasant memory!

Owing to the finishing-up of the session's « Hansard, » several hands have been discharged from the Government Printing Office.

By a ballot of the N.Z.T.A. Mr D. P. Fisher has again been elected secretary of the Executive Council. Messrs H. Jones and T. L. Mills were his opponents.

The Wanganui comps have decided to form a branch of the N.Z.T.A., and appointed delegates to confer on the subject with the principals of the local offices.

Mr A. G. Kent-Johnston, formerly proprietor of the Wairarapa Observer, now fills the position of mining reporter to the Sydney Truth. The number of New Zealand pressmen who have secured good positions in Sydney and Melbourne is remarkable.

Members of Parliament possess the privilege of obtaining on application reprints of their speeches from « Hansard. » This privilege has been abused to such an extent as to become a public scandal, and the Government Printer has found it necessary to write to the Reporting and Debates Committee, calling attention to the sensational headings attached by members to these reprints. He enclosed copies of a speech by Mr Fisher, headed, « The Condition of the Colony—Supineness of the Government, » and Mr Hutchison's, « Indictment of the Government, » and asked for instructions. The Committee reported, recommending that in the future reprints of members speeches shall only hear the heading given to them in « Hansard. »

The half-yearly general meeting of the Canterbury Typographical Association was recently held in the Foresters' Hall. The President, Mr A. K. Chapman, was in the chair, and there was a full attendance of members. The half-yearly report and balance-sheet were, after slight discussion and amendment, adopted. The report stated that during the past six months satisfactory progress had been made by the Society, the rules affecting jobbing offices having been accepted by all the offices, except Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs. The balance-sheet, which showed a good sum to the credit of the Society, was unanimously adopted. During the half-year £11 0s 6d had been contributed by the Association to the Tailors, Tailoresses, and Pressers' Union, of Christchurch, and £5 to the Petone mill-hands. Emigration and out-of-work allowance had also been paid to several members, and £92 16s 6d expended in connexion with the dispute with Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs. The hearty thanks of the Association were unanimously accorded the Maritime Council for assistance rendered and promised in connexion with the dispute. A special report, dealing with the conference between the Association and the Lyttelton Times and Press Newspaper Companies, was laid before the meeting, and an exhaustive, animated, and orderly discussion took place thereon. Finally, a resolution was adopted dealing with the rate of pay on daily papers to the effect that three months from date the rate shall be 1s. per thousand.

Mr M. Donnelly, journalist, was a few days ago admitted a barrister of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Mr Donnelly was admitted as a solicitor in 1886, and for a time practised with considerable success at Lyttelton as a partner there of Mr John Joyce. Illness of a severe and protracted kind compelled him to relinquish the legal profession. During the last three years he has been editor of the Telegraph. Mr Donnelly commenced his journalistic career in Otago, and for many years was well and favorably known in that province. He has now entered into practice as a barrister and solicitor in Christchurch, hut I understand he has not given up journalism altogether. In referring to his past literary work, a contributor to the New Zealand Church News says:— « Apropos of Mr M. Donnelly's retirement from the editorial chair of the Telegraph, his good service in the cause of religion in successfully exposing a religious pretender I will not name ought not to be forgotten. Mr Donnelly's paper written on 'Looking Backward' is acknowledged to have been a keen, sound, and timely criticism on that misleading though widely-read book. »

As showing the good work that is being done by the articles « Design in Typography » appearing in Typo I enclose a programme, in which the elliptical ribbon border is used. The design is the same, with the exception of the curved terminals, as appeared in the May number of Typo. I believe the border has been lying unused in the office for a number of years as unsuitable for anything, until its utility was pointed out in the article above referred to.

It will hardly be necessary for me, seeing you are publishing full accounts of the labor troubles, to enter into details of the Whitcombe and Tombs difficulty with the Canterbury Typographical Association. Public opinion in Canterbury is undoubtedly with the Typographical Association.

Mr Pine, manager of the Union Printing Office, has been appointed overseer of the Press jobbing department, and enters on his new duties about the 1st of October. Mr J. Caygill, I believe, takes the position vacated by Mr Pine.

Mr George Capper now fills the editorial chair of the Telegraph.

Trade is fairly good at present, as the rolls have given work to a number of the comps who have been idle.