REEFTON SPECTACLE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1929, Page 8

REEFTON SPECTACLE.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Allow me space to draw attention to the latest in the labour Passing through the town of Reefton one time noted for its high ideals, from what I saw as I entered the business part of the town, it struck me there cannot be any unemployed white men in the town a good sign as far as business goes. On the mam Buller Road I saw a rare sight. There Was a big motor lorry full of earth, to fill a hollow near the Theatre. The lorry driver was a white man. On top of tiie load of earth on the lorry there stood three people with long handle shovels, two well set full blooded Chinamen, and a young white woman, shovelling earth from the lorry to the hollow below. The quick speed of the lorry loads of earth to and fro while I was present between 2.30 and 3.30 p.m. on Friday, November 29, left little time for a smoko. The splendid of the young woman with the shovel would shame many of the opposite sex. The little town in its own good way thinks it has solved a great labour problem. In efficiency it might have. I am told there are no unemployed in the town. I have no objection to Celestials working for or under a white boss, but it upset one very much to actually see two Chinamen and a white girl working together doing shovel work not a yard from each other. Surely there is someone in the place with a little civic dignity left to protest and appeal to higher ideals. This is the only time I have seen such a thing in New Zealand. The town people don’t seem to bother much about it. —Yours etc., VISITOR, (Portion of this letter —of a personal nature —has been deleted.—-Ed. “Star”).