A SWEATING "DIPPER."

NZ Truth, Issue 65, 15 September 1906, Page 3

A SWEATING "DIPPER."

" Plymouth Brother " and tiis Flax: Cutters.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir »:7s < % y c ; ,nqsiced withy.;, pleas'ute when reading "Truth," tnai it is a paper that is not afraid of exposing any abuse that comes under its nosice. Allow me to inform you of yet another case of gross sweating. Last March a' gang of flax-cutters started to cut flax for a so-called Christian gentleman, who is a leading light amongst the Plymouth Brethren (Dinners) m Poxtojti.

We were getting 7s 3d a ton for the flax. It was rough ground, dirty flax and up. to knees m water, and a man had to cut, two tons per day to makfe a . living'- wage, and had no time to ,be idle to do that. , „ ■ - We cu|\ all the > winter, j&nd what with wet weather, hard frosts and floods and it costing a man £i 10s peri week to live, we did not get much ahead of it. I fancy I can hear you saymg "why the devil didn't you set out, of it." The reason why we stopped was this : We hoped when the spring came and fine weather with it we would he able to make a cheque for Christmas. Some of us had hopes of seeing the Exhibition and hayine a good time after the hard doing we had m the ? w.inter. ; : ■:**'■< • -fa ;f But whaV happened ? We had all but finished the block of flax we were cutting m ; the next block was a mile further away, the same flax and which was-cut last; year for 8s 6d and. Bs per. ton, wh'eri'we were quietly informed by . the boss of the swamp (another Dipper) that they were only going 'to give 6s- a ton for the next block. The whole gang of 14 men" (they were all white) put their h6oks down, and their coats o n 'At that -price an* 3 miles' to walk from camp to work,; it was only a tucker job. And the price of fibre, higher than ever it was ! .

Now what do you think they are* aolng?, Why advertising- for .cutters m Palmerston North, which means that men will come from there to bnannon, it will cost them 7sGd to get the job and their train fare will cost 2s ; they will walk four miles from Shannon. to the camp, and another three miles to look at the flax 41 they are "silvery," they will walk 6ut again ; if '.'stiff" they will work a week or two to get a few shillings to take them on the road again,, and this so-called Christian will get. his flax cut for next to nothing, swl stack his coin up on edge ; mqjpey made by the sweat' and toil of ..the men that labor for him and whom he refuses a living wage. Is if any wonder, Mr Editor, i*at men a-Wfe^and willing fo toil, wnen treated like this time and again, put their swag^up and swear off work for good ? Yet every StMday that holy man prays m a loud voice, "Give us this day our daily bread," and probably preaches a thumping "discburse" from the^ better part of" the so-called Christ's law, "Do unto others as you would they, should do to you "— Yours, etc.,, ' ' ■■ "FLAXCUTTER.^ Shannon, Sept. 8, 1906,