Discipline a problem

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 32

Discipline a problem

Brian Kapea is 24, single

and a bus-driver. It is a new 'occupation for him. He has just finished four years with the Army — the last stretch lin Singapore. ! He finds that disciplining (himself in the spending of | money is his main problem. ) “Controlling it is hard," he I said. “You make enough monev in New Zealand, but (there are too many things to spend it on. You've got to 'discipline your usage. Social (items are the main attraction. I find cars a great . temptation. Alcohol is quite [reasonable, but food is very • expensive, especially natural products such as meat, eggs and vegetables. | "We get cut-rate meals at the depot, otherwise I’d be [taking my lunch to work every day. “What do I like about (New Zealand? It depends on jwhat you’re looking for in : life. New Zealand has more |to offer for the guy who

wants to settle down. I’ve looked at the prices of flats. In four or five yean it should be possible for me to buy one. That's what I mean about disciplining your money. I have it paid into cheque and savings accounts at the bank. If I have the cash J just buy rubbish. “Jobs are readily available here. Work is there if you look for it. both for skilled and unskilled people. I noticed a shortage of jobs in Singapore. Unskilled labour there is very cheap. In New Zealand, the labourer's pay is high.” Brian Kapea likes New Zealand because of its wide open country’. He likes to travel, and there is a lot of New Zealand he now wants to see after being overseas. “That opened my eves to what New Zealand has to offer,” he said. But he considers that the rate of taxation here is too high, especially on overtime. "Two thirds goes to the Government and you get only a third for yourself," he said. "At that stage it’s not worth putting in overtime.’.’

His advice to anyone planning to go overseas is to get something solid behind him first, such as finance or property. Then there is something to come back to.