Wellington, 22nd March. OFF THE LAND

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1914, Page 3

Wellington, 22nd March. OFF THE LAND

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— The article "Off the Land," which appeared in Saturday evening's Post was very interesting, but I should very much like to know why the people who graduate as hotel rouseabouts are termed unemployable. The article states that a large number work their passages out. It is much more difficult to work one's passage from Home than many people imagine ; the ones who do have usually had some sea experience or have influence with the shore superintendent of the line they come out by. Quite a number of the rouseaboutp in this city to my knowledge are* •"wanderers on the face of the earth" and naturally like to stay in a. port so that they can get away when the "rest' less feeling" comes on As an in&tance of why these men do not go into the country (except at the busy season) 1 will relate an experience of my own. I once "struck" this town when my finances were low (between one and two pounds), and decided to gpt out of town without delay. Admittedly it was at a bad time of the year, but a certain J\lr.sterton labour agent had a number of jobs advertised in one of the Wellington papers, which I was quite competent to" take on. I went to Masterton on the next morning's train and called at the registry office. The labour agent was out, &o I had lunch and called again later. He was just going out 1 again and told me that he had no jobs at present I think I must have looked very "green," as he added, "I have a cowboy's job at 15s a week if you care to take it." - Needless to say, I said "no, thank you." I have had experience on farms in Canada and other places and have given satisfaction, and certainly I should not work for 15s a week and found. Before I had time to ask him why he put the advertisement in the paper if he only had a cowboy's job, he had jumped on his bicycle and ridden away. Thinking ifc would be j better to "go broke" in Wellington than in Masterton, I returned, and got work a day or two afterwards, and I think I was quite justified in not staying "in the country." Many "stay-at- I home " people think the wanderer's life is not an ideal one. They are quite right — ifc is not. Many men, however, simply cannot stay in one place for long, and so long as they pay their way and do some honest work, no matter how humble, they deserve to be treated with respect; especially in a so-called democratic country like New ' Zealand. —l am, etc., A WANDERER.