DISTRESS AT TAIHAPE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 515, 24 May 1909, Page 5

DISTRESS AT TAIHAPE.

"STARVING IN EARNEST." PLIGHT. OF THE SAWMILL HANDS. "Will you do ! Domefching for mo in the name of God? I have a dying, ohild and others starring."' This was a part of a iottor'receivod by Mr. Jennings, M.l'., from a Main Trunk sawmill hand out of. omployment. Tho writer had previously aekod for road; work, and 'Mr. Jennings said he had already tried unsuccoesfully to got him something to do, ; . "Wo aro/:nofc-0;n the verge of starvation, but we are starving in oarne&t," wrote the same workor's wife. "We havo got to beg a bit of fat to make a lamp to struggle through the dark to get the poor sick child whatevor wo can catch for her, It ia true that wo are isolated to perish. I wish you could only see our position; My husband ias gone from one to the other'begging, to work for food for me and the children; but he did not succeed." . '■ ''..'■, ■ ' '■' ...■' ■'■ Evidence before tho Timber Commission on Saturday went to Show that there was a'good deal of unemployment among sawmill workin the Taihape district. . • Charles Button, who had previously given • evidence'at Taihape as a contractor, 'said ho had since been asked by a mooting of sawmill workers to givo ovidenco for them There ware about 100 workmen of that class out of work in his district, many of them being married men. There was no other work available. ■■■■■' . , .■ j To. Jlr. Field: The men were satiefiod with their wagos *t the mills in the TaiJiapo distriofc. They got 10s. or 11s. a day. The cost of living was lush. They pairl last summer Is. ''ln. a pound for lmtter, Od. forbro.irl, hp<\ j.lfc. Cd. for a bap or siiß.ir. Tho men' did' not fn mimli from Ihfir higli whges as somo people thought, and they worked up to thoir Knees'in mud. Mr. 1511,/ after examining the witness as to tho cost of living at Tnihapo, admitted that necessarins appeared to be much more expensive than in tho citicc. : Mr. Jennings: And clothes for the children arc out of sugar bags? ' . Witness t'Yes j plenty of them. Mr,' Fill; We sne that in . the cities too, among largo families. . ' . . '