GOOD MR. GOSS.

NZ Truth, Issue 99, 11 May 1907, Page 4

GOOD MR. GOSS.

A HOLY MAN'S CHARITY.

Fourteen Hours a Day for 30s a Week.

One of the best known men m timber and saw-milling circles m Christchurch is Mr. William Gross. But William is not only a prominent timber merchant, he is also a prominent Gospel merchant, and is one of the pillars m Knox Church, Bealy Avemie. Some time ago this kind-hearted Christian man employed a carter na^med Lacey to drive one of his big timber waggons, and paid him the princely wage of 30s a week. This got to the ears of the Timber Union, or whatever tlie Union tbsfct gtovems saflwmilKJng employees calls itself, and they brought the philahtrophist Goss before the Court. Of course, Goss -hadn't a leg to stand on, and ' had t,o pay his carter "71s a .day. He put forth an excellent plea, however. He said that he only employed Lacey out of charity . What a charitable action ! There are any amount of philanthropists who would employ a man at 30s a week out of sweet charity Js' sake if they could knock 14 hours' solid graft out of him a day. This' is philanthropy of the Booth kind- It pays, and pays well. Fortunately for ; un* fortunate workers it doesn't go down m the Arbitration Court. Shortly after this Lacey took ill and died. Lacey has a brother who •is m the employ of Goss. He got his walVin? ticket shortly after the death of his trother. The reason given for his dismissal bein-T that as his trother had died of consumption/ it was not safe to have him about the place (he was employed at the stables at Goss's orivate house). It so happens that Lacey is the sole support of his mother and ,-*i'st?r, and to be ruthlessly dunn.od out cf a billet fall's doubly hard on him.» But what is this to good, kind. Christian Mr. Goss. He never lunws what it is to want a feed or feel. the pipch of poverty. Fe is a fine sample of a Christian is Mr Goss. He has as unnch idea of Christianity -as a Chow has of cleanliness. But he carts his BiMe and hymn book to church every Sunday, and no doubt thinks all is well with his soul.