POVERTY AND THRIFT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21214, 20 December 1930, Page 18

POVERTY AND THRIFT.

TO THE XDITOK. Sib, —I hare been hoping that an abler pen than mine would write q word or two of appreciation of the very wise and sensible letter that was written by a lady under the nom-de-plume of “ Scot.” To me it is the most practical .letter that has been written on the unemployment question for many a long day, and I quite agree with every word in it. It is certainly much better to employ 200 meta at 7s a Aay, instead of 100 men at 14s a day. It would at least help, to keep starvation away, when money is very scarce, but Mr P. Neilson sarcastically replies: “Why not go the whole hog, and give 40CT 3s 6d a day.” I am sure 3s Cd a day is more than a great many deserve, for too many of the unemployed are “ wasters/’ and when times were good, spent every penny of their earnings in riotous living, never thinking of the rainy day which was sure to come, and which baa now come with a vengeance, and they are left struggling in the flood, and are only kept afloat by the charity of the thrifty. Regarding the wail from Mr P, Neilson about the muddy floors and wet tents in the, unemployment camp, it is surely pure laziness on, the part of these men if they do not drain and improve their quarters. They have plenty of time after hours, but I suppose drinking and gambling come first.

As for the well-paid agitators, I would ship them off to “ould” Ireland, or whichever benighted country they came from. lam afraid they would get a sorry welcome. Some pick and shovel men in Dunedin will live to a great age, as I have never seen lazier workers. What, it takes one. of them to do in eight hours, an energetic man can do in four. That, however, is the way the money goes.—l am, etc„ A Dunedin Woman. December K, ' ■