THE YUGOSLAV SETTLER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15, 19 January 1926, Page 15

THE YUGOSLAV SETTLER.

(To the Editor.) »n Sir '~F nder o the above heading appeared in Saturday's "Star" a most misleading and unjust statement written by a correspondent who poses as an authority on our Dalmatian settlers I am a colonial, and British to the coTe and m fairness to these men I feel compelled to take up my pen to refute these wild statements. Mr. Laurin claims to have had five years' experience with these men. I have had twenty-five and have come to regard them second only to ourselves as settlers and citizens Generally speaking they are an honest, industrious, healthy, clean-living people I would like Mr. Laurin to explain just what [he .means by .this assertion. 'Morally the young Yugoslavs are a menace." He may be judging all by a solitary offender who has come under his notice. My experience is that they are as clean-minded as ourselves, and. with quite the same code of morals. Your correspondent goes on to say: These foreigners are given an exceptionally good hearing with the Public Works Department." If Mr. Laurin was more observant he would not need to wonder why! There is no secret about it— these men give an honest day's" work in return for a fair wage. He"goes on to say, "Their sole aim is to eecure big wages for least work." I have seen Yugoslavs "working on swamp drainage, road work, etc., and have been associated "with the overseers in whose charge they have been, and one and all were loud in their praises. Has Mr. Laurin heard of them adopting the "go slow" policy or holding a stop work meeting when labour was at a premium? I can give your correspondent off-hand a list of Dalmatians who are carving out homes, settling down to real pioneering , , in this land of their adoption, not only proving themselves hard workers, but intelligent and successful farmers. Give credit where credit is due.—l am, etc., NORTHLAKDEH.