THE OLD STONEBREAKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9154, 8 September 1888, Page 6

THE OLD STONEBREAKERS.

PAUPERISM, STARVATION, AND

BEGGARY

Under this heading Councillor Evany in the Herald of September 3, has about thirteen paragraphs, in twelve of which he abuses me. He has assumed the position of the pettifogging lawyer, who "having no case abuses the plaintiffs attorney." It is not my intention, nor is it necessary, to notice Councillor Evans or his scurrilous accomplices further. My aim has been, and is, to defend a number of helpless, industrious old men from a grievous wrong. The Council has the opportunity to save £300 in the coming year by allowing the 42 old stonebreakers to earn their own living ; or, to save £150 by dismissing them, this latter course involving an annual expenditure of about £1500 to support them as paupers. Tnis city having been favoured with large deposits of stone near at hand, has been able for many years past to employ numbers of old and helpless people at work at the only occupation for which they were fitted, at little or no cost to the city. With the further advantage, that the city of Auckland has made less demands on Government funds than any other large city in the colony for the support of the aged poor. Will the Council throw away this honourable position by first making paupers of these industrious old men, and then becoming beggars for alms themselves ? Any attempt to throw these old men on the Charitable Aid Board, in the expectation that the General Government will find the money, will end in a disastrous failure; for, though our extravagant Government has hitherto acted as Grand Almoner to every mendicant corporation in the colony, it is rapidly, and happily, coming to the end of its tether; and will shortly, from sheer necessity, be compelled to say to mendicants of all sorts, "We have no money, so support your own poor." Why, then, deprive these old men of their living? If the Council do that they will shortly have to call upon the ratepayers to tax themselves for £1500 a-year to keep them as paupers, when we might have saved the money by letting them honestly earn their own living. This grave and serious question cannot be settled by the course adopted by the Council, nor by the abuse of those who advocate a more honorable way—a way at once more manly, more humane, and more economical. 1 am convinced the majority of the people of this city do not wish these old stonebreakers to be degraded into paupers and beggars. Unhappily, this majority is at resent silent, as is too often the case with English communities, until the mischief be done.

On behalf of these helpless old men I appeal to this silent majority to interfere to prevent so great a wrong being done before it is too late.

If prompt, decisive action be taken to ask the Council to reverse their decision, I will not believe there is a man in the Council who will care to refuse to these poor fellows, whose lot it is to labour, the right to earn their bread, not as paupers, but as free men.

If there be any man amongst us so dead to all sense of right and duty as to stand callously or idly by, without speaking a word to prevent this cruel wrong being done to these old men, then, I commend to his attention, the words of the ancient judgment— "As ye measure, to others, so shall it be measured to you again." J. C. FIRTH.

September 7, 1888.