Dear Sir—We have your favour of the 17th inst., and as we are not members of the N.Z. Millers' Association, we were not consulted (as you correctly suppose) before the answer of Mr. Aspinall to your letter was sent.

We are still favourable to the eight-hour system being adopted provided it is so universally, but regarding holding a conference on the subject we do not think it would be of any use, unless all or nearly all the mills were represented; and as the N.Z. Millers' Association represents such a large amount of milling power, and have through their Secretary intimated their decision as adverse to holding a conference, we do not see how any resolutions come to at a conference from which they were absent could be made applicable.

We may just add that an equitable arrangement of payment per hour is what we think would be found to suit best.