A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 150, 26 June 1908, Page 4

A PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY.

"Go on the land, young man " was Horace Greeley's famous recommendation. The' same advice is constantly being given here, and those who have adopted it, or a very large percentage of them, have had no reason to regret having done so. But there may be many instances in which young men may be perfectly willing to, take up land, or as a preliminary .to' so doing, become farm labourers, who have not the means, small as they may be, to enable them to carry out their wishes. Such a one has recently written to .' the Lyttelton Times in reply' to a remark by tho -Minister for Lands that casual labourers in the centres should remove to the country townships, and take their . chance of employment amongst the farmers of the district. This man writes: —" I am a married casual labourer trying to eke out a living, and I have no objection to bettering niy position if possible. But I would like to ask Mr McNab how the average casual labourer is going to ; manag#*to shift his home to the country. -.^Vjth careful management and ,«ip^bHileiyv no tinnecess.ary' expense, I have been unable, on the present rate of wages, to put by a single shilling, so that however anxious I may be to remove to the country, I' could not do so, and I believe my* own case is the rule and not. the* exception amongst1 town casual labourers. It is all very.well for th© Minister for Lands to talk. but let him! keep a family on a-casual wage of seven or eight shillings per day at the present time, and he will find that Bis power to remove to the country :or anywhere else will begin and end with the ability and strength he has to>walk and carry his goods on his back." The writer continues: "'Suppose y the labourer does remove to the country and hires himself out to the farmer at the magnificent wage of; six. shillings per day. He rents a house kt, six, or seven shillings per week, and keeps his wife and family. How long is it going'to be before he can get on a farm of his own?" There is a good deal in these reflections.'^ The theory is right. Get on the land by all means, but how? Cannot the united intelligence of the Lands Depaitment, the Labour Bureau, and the Advances to Settlers Office devise a method of overcoming the practical : difficulties so clearly pointed out by this intelligent correspondent? J_____