BETTER ACCOMMODATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10212, 5 December 1893, Page 6

BETTER ACCOMMODATION.

TO THE EDITOR,

' Sib, —Few things tend to demoralises people more than wretched and uncomfortable surroundings. This has been amply proven as the result of the investigations by such noble souls as Robert Owen and man of his a':amp. Can anyone imagine a more degraded or wretched class of men’ than the “ pit ” in the north of England in the early pact of this century. But by the efforts of some whole-hearted men who interested themselves' in their behalf, how different is their condition now. And it behoves us to do all we can to improve the conditions which surround the social life of our people while the country is young and evils in their infancy} for as population increases evils intensify, and "become more difficult to deal with. That there is need for improvement, and that prompt measures are sorely needed to effect-them, I think the following facts, will leave no shadow of doubt about. Some short time ago a young friend of mine secured through one of oar local labour offices a situation on a farm in Canterbury. His first night or two were spent in a hovel which leaked so much that the farmer’s wife removed her perambulator to prevent it being damaged by water; and, to make matters worse, there was a large hole in the wall through which rain and wind gained easy admittance. The boy complained, and was told he might remove into a lean-to attached to a building which did service for a woolshed. So that the boy might take possession ot hia new bedroom soma fowls were hustled out to find shelter elsewhere, The floor was mother earth, damp and covered . with decaying vegetable matter. No bedstead was provided, and the boy had to make a bed on the floor by laying some old sacks down. The farmer, no doubt out of consideration for the boy, believed in plenty of fresh air, for the walls were roughly weather-boarded, no lining of any description, no necessity for a window—there was none—for the chinks in the roof supplied all the neceseary light. The above is a plain description of tbo sleeping accommodation provided on this particular, farm. Needless to say the boy was not long in making his way home again. I should not like to say this is a fair type of the accommodation provided for the labourers and shearers on our farms and stations. I sincerely hope, for the credit of my native country that it is not so; but from personal experience I know that the wretched accommodation described above is far too common, and as one who believes in the principle of “ An injury to one is the concern of all,” I trust that the new Parliament Will take the matter in hand end insist upon better accommodation being provided for those who are obliged to earn their living by working on our farms and stations.—l am, E.G.11.