THE WEEKLY LETTER.

Oxford Observer, Volume V, Issue V, 16 June 1894, Page 3

THE WEEKLY LETTER.

Longdale, June 9th. When Parliament assembles it will have no small amount of work to do in order to carry out the pledges of its constituents. • Not the least easy will be those pledges in respect of labour and the labouring classes. The Minister for labour has about half a score of Bills to introduce dealing with these questions ; and when he succeeds in carrying them through the two chambers, the question will be, what next ? There-is just a tendency to overlegis-lation-which will result in the decay of selfreliance and true manhood- in the workers. At the present time many of those clamouring for work, and demanding.that the Government shall, : not only find it for them, but take them to it, and establish them in home?, are the unlucky ne'er-do-weels of the colony. Men, who when they earn twenty shillings bay to the extent of twenty "two ; men who never live within their means but always beyond. '. . There have been during this winter, instances of men' giving up a good job, through laborious, and with: long hours } i and- going into, town to live clean and comfortably on the cheap at the public, expense. The writer of that wellknown letter to the Minister for Lands, a week or two ago, spoke truth when he said the men were to

blame for being out of work, and he asked cogently what right had the j government to help such ? They, could help themselves, and therefore should do so. The supply of " nutritious aliment" to swaggers " freegratis for nothing " is a heavy tax on the people., who are settled on their own homesteads, and something should be done to lessen it. At present a man who has just corn- i pleted a job, and with his cheque in his pocket, will beg his way along the road to town, never offering a shilling for his " bite of tucker " or his , shake down,' and there throw down his money at the public house. When the last sixpence is gone, he shoulders the national debt and goes on the wallaby once more, begging as ever. A inan who has regular employment for four months of the year should save enough to keep him during the remainder of the year without begging. These swaggers are in many instances, a species of '• spieler " who demand ' food ' but rarely ask for work and if the food be refused, will make a threat about the farmer looking after his stacks. I have had a good deal of experience of the evils of the beggary of swaggers and would like to see them lessened. Of course there is another side to the question. If all the unemployed took the swag and begged from house to house, the towns would be eased and there would be less agitation. But the unemployed would exist withal. There are also many men on the wallaby who are too honourable to agitate for work, but will travel till they get it. Should they be compelled by the force of circumstances to ask for food, are most grateful when they receive it ; and offer to do an hours work to pay for it. Such are not long out of work, and in time become honoured settlers. But the others, — never. Paul Fleming.