Government Relief Works.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1057, 2 June 1892, Page 23

Government Relief Works.

TWO WAYS OF LOOKING AT IT. Some abort time since one of our contempo. rariea published a letter written by one of the men sent by the Labour Bureau to work in the Forty Mile Bush. It described the men as working hard for a bare livelihood, and bsing unable to save more than a few shillings for their wives and families in town. The writer himself had only been able to send his wife £2 out of a month’s earuings. The author of this woeful tale appeared on Tuesday before the Benevolent Trustees to thank them for the a.sistance they had rendered hia wife and children, and to intimate his readiness to do any casual work they might bo able to find for him.

The Chairman (Rev H. Van Staveren) took the opportunity to question him about the statements alleged in his letter. The man stated that his lemarks applied to two gangs with which he had been associated. They had been employed in clear, ing ground, and had had to find the dynamite which they used to remove tree trunks. More than that, accommodation was found for them at a publichouse, and the cha-ge for board and lodging was deducted from their wages. Tneir earning 3 averaged 6s 6d a day, but in consequence of the incidental expenses he had mentioned they wire able to save very little. During a whole month they did not lose a single day’s work, and yet he was only able to send away £2 to his wife. Mr J. Collins said he had a very different story to relate. A man who had been sent to relief work at Hunterville had assured him that the men there were doing very well indeed, and were very grateful for the work that had been provided them. This particular man had saved enough to enable him to come down to Wellington to see his wife and fatuity, and after spending a couple of days with them and leaving them some money to carry on with he had gone back with a light heart to earn soma more.

Mr Wiilestou considered that an average wage of 6i 6d a day on refief work was a vory fair return indeed for such labour. It was quite as much as could reasonably be expected. Of courre if the men had to keep up two homes out of it there would be some difficulty in making both ends meet. But no blame could attach to thoso who provided the work.

Mr Lancaster asked why these men who expected so much did not go into the bush —like the pioneer settlers of 30 and 35 years ago—and split Blabs and piles and construct mud huts for themselves while they did their work. The early settlers did this, and yet could only earn 5s a day, which had to suffice for all their needs at a time when food and clothing were three times as dear as thsy were now. In those times as much as £2 had to be paid for a hundredweight of flour, and other things brought prices in proportion. Vet those settlers, with their wives and families, lived and did well on 30s a week. Why could not the unemployed of these days go and do likewise ? The Chairman : There is not the necessary grit in them, Mr Lancaster. In the early days there was not the same eagerness for finery that there is now. The pioneer settlers were content with very li’tic. Mr Lancaster : Yes, they certainly were not ashamed to go about in clue jumpers and moleskin trousers. The man from the Forty Milo Bush, whose attire was certainly several cuts above jumpers and moleskins, was informed that the rations would be continued to his family, and that he could work in the Corporation yard until other employment was found.