“THE WHITE SLAVE” ACT.

New Zealander, Volume 12, Issue 1029, 27 February 1856, Page 3

“THE WHITE SLAVE” ACT.

" Halloa, there! Samho ! Quimbo! All hands!” called I.korek, coming to the quarters where the men and women were just returning from work, “ There's two runaways in the swamps. I'll give five dollars to any nigger as catches ’em. Turn out the dogs! Turnout Tiger and Fury, and the rest!” —U.nclk Tom's Cabin. To the Editor of the New Zealander. Sin,—Will you allow me, by way of illustrating the oppressive tendencies of Mr. Walter Brodie’s Bondage Act. to place a probable example of its humane workings before your readers ? Let me suppose then', Sir, that a gentleman, whom I may call “ Old Settler,” advertises for a gardener to dress his vineyard and trim his nursery. Applicants to call at the office of the advertiser any morning after 10 o’clock— Sundays excepted. In accordance with this intimation, enter, on any given morning, Mr. Paul Pigeon, fresh from the old conn try. Gardener : Sir, I see by the newspaper that you are in want of a gardener. Old Settler: Yes, I am. Are you a gardener ? Gardener: Yes Sir. Old Settler: Where have you been last employed in the colony ? Show me your certificaie of discharge. Gardener: Sir, I have only come from England in the last ship. Old Settler: (With Ids usual elegant suavity of address) Oh,—a New Chum ! Good ! Gardener: Yes, Sir; but I can produce the most satisfactory testimonials of character and ability from a number of well-known English gentlemen. See here, Sir. Old Settler: (After perusing the Testimonials) These are perfectly satisfactory—quite. What wages will you be expecting ? Gardener: jti 100 a year, Sir, with board and lodgings. Old Settler; Puli! puh ! That’s downright extortion. I give only half that—£;>() a year! ~ Gardener: That’s a very low figure, Sir; but as the demand for gardeners, I find, is limited, I suppose I must take your offer. 01.1 Settler; I daresay you are quite aware that I am a legislator; and as I am an authority on the Master and Servant’s Act, I have a lot of “ Agreements” by me which only require to be filled m. Gardener : Very good, Sir. Old Settler fills up the following fixing agreement: I hereby agree to serve , as gardener, for the full term of twelve months from the day and date under written, and to make myself generally useful, for, and in consideration of the yearly sum (paid quarterly) of fifty pounds, togalher with board and lodging. Dated Auckland , 1858. (Signed) Paul Pioeon. Witness— Sammy Supplejack. The Old Settler conducts Paul Pigeon over the grounds; and the “new chum” is in raptures with the wonders which Mr. P. B. left behind him. Paul goes to work with a will, and, under his skilful handI*, 1 *, all goes well during the fruit and vegetable season. A period of vegetable decay and of “ great denres* siou”, however, ensues; and it begins to be imagined that the services of Mr. Paul P.geon may be lawfully and “ legally” dispensed with. And now then for a beautiful touch of that gem of legislative super-excel-lence—” Mn. Walter Brod.e’s Master and Sku« vant's Act.”

The Old Settler, having sauntered moodily amidst desolate strawberry beds and denuded peach trees, accosts Mr. Paul, and finds fault that there is nothing left to sell; Paul laments that there ever should be such a thing as winter, and wishes that plums were in season all the year round. The Old Settler pnh pubs ! discourses feelingly of the signs of the times, and—the wishc '-for row ensues. Paul is ordered to look after the hen-roost, and to lend the household a hand in taking the linen from the wash tub to the clotheslines. The spirit of the gardener rebels; and, indig mint at the insult, his swelling bosom actually bursts three of its waistcoat buttons. The Old Settler, nevertheless, is firm ; but Mr. Paul Pigeon remains inflexible. Paul insists that he is neither n poulterer nor a laundry-maid, and that he will “ be blessed’' if he so far degrades his calling. The Old Settler, with that dignified calmness which so eminently distinguishes the man and the lawgiver, calls in Mr. Sammy Supplejack to be an impartial witness of the disobedience of the insubordinate Paul.

Old Settler (addressing the disobedient gardener:) Do you distinctly refuse to look after the cocks and hens—and will you lend us no baud in wringing the wash clothes and pinning them on the lines? Gardener: I do, Sir. You advertised for a Gardener, and J took service with you, as such. I know nothing about henroosts; and I never was brought up as a washerman. Old Settler ; Very good. J find, Mr. Paul, that I shall be under the necessity of imparting a little of my lion, friend’s legal knowledge to the enlightenment o! your darkened understanding. The Old Settler accordingly applies for and procures a summons, and Mr. Paul Pigeon is summarily introduced to a ‘ Progress” Justice of Botany Bay “ Old Official” habits. The case is called ; the charge is—refusal to do work, and disobedience of orders.

The Old Settler is put in the witness box, and proves Air. Paul Pigeon’s contempt for cocks, hens, and dirty linen, and Ins refusal to assist in the safe custody of the one or the wringing of the other. Justice : Have you any questions to put to Mr, ? Gardener : Yes, your Worship. Did I not agree with you as gardener ? Old Settler : You did. But you also agreed ,'or something more. G n-dener : I deny it I engaged as gardener, and nothing else, your Worship. Justice: Silwnce, Sir. Pay attention to the Bench, Can you read writing. Sir ? Gardener: Yes, your Worship. Justice : Is that your signature ? Gardener —(utterly unconscious of the “ generally useful” trap) : It is. Justice : Have you any witnesses, Mr. Old Settler ; Call Sammy Supplejack. Sammy Supplejack is called. Sammy testifies to Paul’s refusal to wring the toggery, or nurse the chickens. Paul has no questions to ash this witness.

He hag told the truth. He did refuse to have anything to do with baby-linen, or roosters, blit never objected to attend to his garden. The Old Settler’s case is complete. Mr. Brodie’s “ Bondage Act” is cited “ Generally useful*’ does the trick • and th<* Justice, ‘f with eyes scveie, and beard of formal Cut,” prono mces the sentence so mercifully provided by tig “ Bondage .Act,” which i*—'‘that the delinquent jjj impr smed for Three Calendar Months d.d kept to hard labour. ’’ Such, Mr. Editor, may be the fate of any unfortunate who may sign lor "generally useful,” under the ph dm* thropic “Master and Servant’s Act,” of Mr. Water Brocie. and his noted “ Progress” pals. If the S.atu.e Book of New Zealand is to be d igraced with that exalte! specimen of “ Progress Policy,” the more the pity for the country say I. We tire bad y oft'lor labour as it is j hut what agricultural, and other labourers, wotktnerj shepherds, stockmen, sawyers, artiSaris, miners, domestic or other servants” I would ask, would come to a country where before they could obtain employment they would be obliged to subscribe to conditions not to be endured unless by the serfs of Siberia 1 Yours, Fair Plat* Onehunga, Feb. 25, 1853. LPhe following parting token front the <£ Illiid Jackets ” of the Pan Jon has been forwarded to us. We gi ve It as a genuine specimen of thd kindly spirit with which poor Jack has taken his farewell from these shores •—] To the Editor of the New-Zeal andeiL Sib, —-We, the ship’s company of H.M.S. Pandora* at the moment of our departure for O d England, wish to return our sincere thanks to the people and Government of till a Colony for b* many fav> tirs Rile! kindn a* that we have met with at their hands; and to say it would give us a real pleasure to lie able to serve them at a f lime or in any manner. We beg theta to accept our sincere respects for all their pist kfridnesseSi We feel much tegret in being obliged to leave them ; arid we also fe-d very sorry to think we shall soon have to part with so kind and noble a Cqitain,- (not forgetting his worthy Lady) and surh excellent officers as those n W whont we have served so long and happily. It may be many years befo e we meet with so hj ippy and • o Ranted a tihip. But belay 1 Good bye and (3 >d bless all our kind friem oin Auckland. We 3et.d ih *m our warmest tLanks. on behalf of the Formast man of HBI.S. Pandora. W. F. Haut£k, A.B*, On boitnf,Auckland IlarbOur. Homeward Bound, February 18, 181>6.