SINGLE MEN’S CAMPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22137, 15 December 1933, Page 12

SINGLE MEN’S CAMPS

TO THE EDITOB. Sir, —I cannot help thinking that “ Disco Ferenda Pati ” has twisted a little. In hia letter of the sth inst. he stated that the men in the camps were fast becoming supine, and lazy. Now he says, in his letter of the 12th, that he did not class all the men as such, as he knew several eminently decent young men who had been compelled to take advantage of the camp scheme. If he knew several camp workers who were quite decent, surely he will admit that there must be several more men of the same type in camp whom he does not know. J I think I was quite justified, after reading his first letter, in concluding that he classed all the men as wasters. He also stated that it was an undeniable fact that the men refused to leave the camps when honest work was offering. I pointed out that several men had left this camp to work on farms, and now he states that it would be unsportsmanlike if a man stayed in camp, in preference to working on a farm, no matter how sinall a wage wag offered. Well, I consider myself as good a sportsman as the average man, out I certainly would not leave a camp to work on a farm where I would be expected to work much longer hours for less money. Just as the farmer himself seeks the highest market for produce, so the worker must take advantage of the best available market for his labour. “ Disce Ferenda Pati” adheres to his statement that the Government 19 too benevolently disposed to the men iq. the camps. I still think that is ridiculous, as I fail to see that a man is being treated benevolently when he is receiving about 11s per week for 47 hours of hard work. I think it would be nearer the mark to state that the farmer should be more benevolently disposed to those whom he employs, and I think if “ Disce Ferenda Pati ” advocated better conditions for farm workers instead of attempting to show that the men in the camps are too well treated, he would be aiming at a greater goal. 1 certainly agree with him that the taxation on the small wage earner, is unfair, and I sympathise with him and others who have to bear their share of this taxation with the ultimate result that the purchasing power of their wages is reduced. I would like to ask “ Disce Ferenda Pati ” why he wishes to see the men transferred from the camps to farms when, by his own admission, they will be unjustly treated? If he is a sportsman himself he will not expect men to accept work where they will not get a fair .deal.—l am, etc., Honest Worker. Clarendon, December 13,