CHALLENGE FOR CHALLENGE.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1474, 30 July 1867, Page 3

CHALLENGE FOR CHALLENGE.

TO THE EDITOB OP THE PEE3S. Slß,—" Unemployed," St. Albane, has challenged mc, in your paper, to give him 6e 6d for eight hours work, or ever after hold my peace. I wish to know on what principle he puts his eight hours work at 6a 6d ? In England, tho farm labourers' wages are regulated by the price of wheat, and I do not know upon what other principle it can be regulated in that or any other wheat-crowing country. The price of a day's labour being at the rate of one-third the market price of a bushel of wheat, at the present price of 3s per bushel for wheat, that would give Is a day for labour, at whioh price I challenge " Unemployed," St. Albane, to work for mc (if, indeed, he is capable of doing a day'e -work), or ever after hol4 Mβ peace, •"Unemployed" says farmers have no means to employ labour; but he must conlider that whatever capital a farmer may have it a not to be expected that a farmer will employ it at a loss to himself. In other words, fie cannot give 6b 6d for a day'e labour, unless that day'e labour can be made to pay for itself.

Bat'theßort of recrimination which is going on afrpresent is'worse than useless. The'real question before us is, whether there ia distress at present or not. I maintain there ia not-^that 1 every single man can obtain work at what will _oep him. There is a great demand for married couples without children. The only possible distress is where there is a large.aattyoang family to keep, and these cases are quite exceptional. I have, within the last few dSys, offered £45 per annum and board to some of the Christchurch unemployed single metrfand it "has" been refused as "too low altogether " I remain your obedient servant, A Nqbthbbx Fabmeb.