THE LIGHTER SIDE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 70, 16 December 1907, Page 2

THE LIGHTER SIDE.

AMENITIES OF CONCILIATION BOARD. During tho hearing of evidence in the farm labourers' dispute at Tiraaru last week, the Conciliation Board asked for tho production of what Mr. Thorn, tho Union s .representative, considered a rara avis—a farm labourer who can save £100 a year > Ironi shoaring, threshing, etc. Mr. John Talbot siiid ho could produco such a mail,,and Mr. Jones promised that ho would do so also. Mr. Thorn said he would like to have a look at him, for such a man ought to be able to earn a good salary by exhibiting himself as a freak. ■■' ". ' " I will give you two instances or the class of men who fail to,make contracts pay, , said a farmer in the course of his evidence. They are cases which have come under my-personal notice. In ono case a man took a contract to stook. As soon as he had earned a little money, ho sent to the nearest hotel for some beer, and then stooked and sipped alternately until he lay down dead drunk under a stook. Tho next day'ho went to tho boss to ask,for more money, as ho could not make the coutract pay. In the other case a man—ono of tho ' won't work ' class—had taken a gorsocuttitig contract. He had to travel three miles to work, and, on arriving at the scene of his labour, about 9 o'clock in tho morning, he would boil tho billy to make some tea, resolving to make an early start after dinner. This was a strictly sobor man, buthe would. iiot work, and it is these two kinds of men who cannot make contracting pay..