BOYS AND “BOYS”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8734, 16 May 1914, Page 4

BOYS AND “BOYS”

In a recent speech Mr Massey unwisely sought to gain some much-need-ed kudos for “Reform” hy pretending that his scheme of hoy immigration is more generous by fifty per cent, than that which was organised by Mr Sedgwick with the sanction of the Ward Government. It was represented by the Tory leader'that “the Sedgwick boys” were brought out to work at a starting minimum of five shillings weekly. whereas the vastly superior and more generous Massey Government had started a policy of bringing boys to New Zealand with a guarantee of not less than seven shillings and sixpence to begin with. That may sound very fine, but it is not a candid statement of the situation. The Sedgwick boys were really boys, young and inexperienced, whereas those that have been ' imported under the Tory policy are for a large part not boys at all, but grown men. One of them, as all the country knows now, who was induced to oome to New Zealand and engage himself for employment at three halfcrowns a week, is easily worth four times that sum; His name is Halloran. Ho baa had six years’ farming experience in Ireland. He is twenty years old, sis foot two inches in height, and weighs thirteen stone! And Mr Massey actually boasts about finding a billet for such s man. who is called for Tory purposes a “boy,” at seven-and-sixpence a week, out of. which he has to contribute six shillings and sixpence weekly until he has repaid passage money amounting to ten pounds 1 Moreover, the wolf are of the Sedgwick boys was carefully safeguarded by the Department of Labour, whose officers saw that wages were paid according to merit, whereas no such supervision is exercised in respect of the Tory importations. _ Mr Massey, of course, knows all this just as well as we do, hut he is just now engaged in a desperate hunt for votes, and so he puts the position in a manner that does injustice to the Liberals. There were no such disgraceful instances of sweating permitted under Sir Joseph Ward’s administration as the employment of strong and experienced men at three half-crowns a week.