CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 139, 14 June 1909, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

NO WORK, TO THOB EDITOR. Sir, — Wo hear lately a lot about unemployment, and about hundreds of men hanging around the wharf in the hope of earning a few shillings. The situation is very bad, I admit ; but, sir, it it. a downright shame for single men to be loafing their time away on the wharf. When I was single, and happened to be out of » job, which was very often, I simply packed my swag and walked ; went miles out of . my road to look for a job, lived on a pound of biscuits a day, with, a couple of raw onions and a raw potato in the bargain perhaps, and plenty of fresh water to wash it all down. At night I slept in a bag in some unused shanty or seep-pen ; in fact, anywhere I <-ould lay my head. And in the morning I started with daylight. No hanging around tho wharf for me. When the few shillings I had were spent I offered my services to a farmer, and was milking for a few weeks, till I got iked of it, and then off I was again, bmgle men, especially young men out of employment, if you have a little bit of grit in you and a pair of legs, clear out of town and hunt the country up and down till you find a job. By the way, I never patronised railways, because they were 100 expensive for me. Unfortunately the Premier was right in saying that people won't leave the town and look for work. As for married men being idle for weeks and weeks at a time, or perhaps earning a few shillings, in the majority of cases they are to blame, and. their wIVw lV e 3 as well. I did not get married until 1 was pretty cure of constant employment, but should I be losing my job some day I can assure you that I won't join the ranks of the unemployed on the wharf. And my wife wouldn't let me anyhow. I would pack my swag (I still keep it) and be out of town. Quick inarrh and would soon be milking cows or scrubcuttms: firewood-cutting, or anything at •r earnings I could send to the wife, and if the worst came to the worst the wife could get a .few days' cleaning and washing to keep the pot boiling, and 1 not bo running after the charitable aid to kepp her. I admire our labour member, Mr D M Laren, M.P., and he shouts for all he is worth about my having a rit>ht to workbut that doesn't pay the baker's bill or purl chase a, trousers for the boy. There is very little work to be got, but the beershop does good business, fobaceo is smoked, and Opera House and other nlaces of amusement are well patronised. If earned money was carefully "spent and not wasted in the time of plenty, poverty wouldn't be so very acute when the bad times came along. AVaste not, want not. — I am, etc., A LABOURER. 11th June.