"OLD TIMER” REPLIES.

Hawera Star, Volume L, 6 March 1931, Page 4

"OLD TIMER” REPLIES.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —1. expect you are tired of publishing letters signed “Old Timer” and i would gladly stop writing them, but some of the civil servants seem determined to keep me stirred up. “Number 3” has now joined the pack. 1 sincerely wish that a more able writei from the farming community won la give his views on the 10 per cent, cut and let- me quietly drop out of the little “storm in a tea cup.” “Numoer 3” states he is receiving about £3 18s per week for his services; alter allowing for Ins superannuation, say 4s, that gives him about £1 2s. per week, and he considers he is underpaid (for a week, 1 presume, of 40 nours. Does he know that some ol our primary producers, particularly among the “wool king” class, aitei paying rates and taxes do not receive an average of £2 per weeic, and for chat amount they toil about 50 hours per week and that they are simply on their farms at the sweet will and pleasure of their mortgagees, l presume he wishes my opinion on his weekly balance-sheet (possibly my advice). If so, I would suggest that he dispenses with his wife’s “lady help” and that would mean a saving of 35s per week. As he only does a few nours work per day lie should assist bis wife in the household duties and so save sufficient to purchase a house from the Government oil easy time payments, it would only mean a few nours extra work for Him per week aud in the course of a few years he would, be the owner of his own home. •‘Number 3” seems sore that he should have to pay most of his superannuation fees and that the taxpayer should escape doing that for him. Why noth W liy should he be privileged more than any other member of the community r I'ears ago, no doubt, the taxpayer paid and the civil servant reaped the Benefit. The civil servant gets a fair wage and a staedy billet for 40 years, and if lie considers his .services are worth more why does he not give up his job (there are scores who would gladly take it up) and go into some business where his services would be more amply rewarded. But I would advise him to “look before he leaps.' fifty years ago men of “Civil Servant’s” class joined the community in singing and praying for Eight hours’ work, Eight hours’ play, Eight hours’ sleep and Eight bob a day. and thought that should that happy time arrive they would have nothing more to wisli for. Now, although they work shorter hours and receive twice the pay they are still dissatisfied. Since writing the above in reply to “No. 3” my attention has been called to a letter written by a civil servant’s wife and signed “Lead kindly light.” It seems to me that if the Dominion followed the lead the lady would give us we should all be led into the bankruptcy court. Has her paritcular civil servant retired that she rushes into print to do battle for him and his class? She is very sarcastic with her letter about super-sixes, drowning sorrows, freights on manures, etc., and laments that if the civil servant backed a “dead cert,” rejoiced over-much and got arrested he would lose his “cushy job.” Possibly so, but she fails to add that in addition to that lie would get Hades from “Lead kindly light.” Were I in that civil servant’s shoes I would dread the lecture far more than getting the sack. She has apparently had a frugal “bringing up” and was dissatisfied even with that and her position in the country among thei “wealthy families” who “hoarded their savings” instead of rejoicing occasionally, and even now regretting the joyous old times she had years ago. She is still dissatisfied although a civil servant’s wife. She reminds me of an old friend of mine who told me that some people would not be satisfied even if they were shut up in a cage and fed. She also speaks of All Fool’s Day (how polite she is). In return I would remind her that it is not the Ist of April in 1931 that she need worry about, but the April following. That is if the value of the cookies 1 produce does not rise. Her ladyship and her class will have to economise considerably, as the people had to do in “Old Timer’s” youthful days. Further, she is very sarcastic about my letter-writing. I will admit that she and the rest of the civil servants can give me points in letter-writing (it is their trade, or, I suppose I should say, profession), but at the same time I would remind her that seventy odd years ago I had to pick up my bit of education as I could, and that in all possibility I have helped to pay for hers. I have, however, enough knowledge to predict that if cheese, butter and wool do not rise considerably in value her hubby’s salary will be reduced not only 10 per cent., but possibly 33 per cent., as our returns have been. In conclusion I will tell her a little karakia I learned in my youth that seems appropriate to the occasion; one) might almost call it the “Old Timers’ praver. I

“From rocks and sands and barren lands Good fortune set me free. But from great guns and women’s tongues Good Lord deliver me! ” Our Premier is behaving himself far better than we expected—no sign of a waver. Good old Forbes! I expect a very nice, kind letter from “Lead kindly light,” as I know the ladies (God bless them!) will have the last word. Thanking both “L.K.L.” and yourself in anticipation,—l am, etc., OLD TIMER.