Co-operative Road Works in Catlin's District.

Otago Witness, Issue 2146, 11 April 1895, Page 13

Co-operative Road Works in Catlin's District.

TO THE EDITOK.

Sin, — At the present time, when the co-opera-tive principle is exercising the minds of all who have the best interests of the working classes at heart, "Athos's" letter cannot fail to prove instinctive and of value, and written, as it is_, by one of the co-operatives themselves, the assertions therein contained are wuhout doubt truthful and to bs relied upon. In rallying to his abl-j let'er I wish "Athos" distinctly to understand that my intention is not to refute any of his assevertions, but simply to endeavour to convince him by my observation of the working of the co-operative principle as it applied to the portion of the (Jatlins road this fcidc of the Tautuku river that the truls and privations to which he, in conjunction with liia co-workora, was subjected wcim not so oppressive, neither could inattention to the c .mforts of the co-operatives or rcmis u ness in duty be charged to those in charge of the works. I trust "Athos" will kindly baar with me, however, when I take exception to the opening remarks in his letter, which bsar reference to the l'ght in which society views the labouring classes. Work of whatsoever kind will never degrade a man— it is the man who degrades the woik, and the honest toiler need never be ashamed of honest toil. The socifty which would vaunt Us superiority in any respect to the co-ope alive worker, who, with horny hind and sweat bedewed brow, braves the piivations of bush work, and risks hi? health in order to provide for himself and those dependent on him, has a brassy ring. Again, the foul-mouthed, epithets and lewd conversation board betim s in working men are confined to the few, and when indulged in habitually in any camp ure soon suppressed by the other occupants. ApoiogNing for this digression, I will now as briefly as possible stat-s my experience of the worlciig of tho co-operative principle as it obtained her 1 .

When tbe first batch of workers— about 70 in nu.nb-r — were lauded from the Ilinemaa I mingled amongst them, aud they aU looked h-le, hearty, and contented. Tbe Commissioner of Crown Linds, in conjunction with the gentleman then in charge, met the men on landing and arranged for their accommodation prior to their being drafted out to Iheir allotted work. Some had tents, others camped in the Government goods shed, and all hud abundance of food. On the following morning the men's belongiogs wpre conveyed to the different portion? of the road at which they were to work, and in a few hours thereafter their labour commenced ; and from the day oil which. the first blow wai struck until the works weie completed I did not hear one syllable of complaint either aaainst the in uia^ement or the principle generally. The Commissioner of Crown Lands, in his report, spoke favourably of the method as it obtained here, and my own observation from its inception supports my belief in the corre-tness of his asseverations. To that portioa of "Athos's" interesting letter wherein he contends tint there is a conrensu? of opinion among woilong men that they fared belter under the old contract than under the co-operative system it is al<n on the opinion expressed by the men, with whom I frequently conversed, that I base the subject of my reply. " Atho3" says :—

1. "That work is let to g.ing< irrespective of ths capibility of each to perform his quota of the labour." This difficulty was overcome here by the manager permitting the gangs to be selfcoaatitutad—that ii, workers could choose their own mates. \. " boss " was then elected by the gang, from his experience of the work about to be engaged in. The overseer never to my knowleige coorced gangs to admit into (heir number any incapable worker ; accordingly no one suffered loss through the unsuitability of any of his co-work.ei'3 to perform his sb.ft.re of the labour.

2. Ths prices bsing io low under the co-qper»» tive system a man can oirn more with less labour by working for a contractor." It is next t« impo'siblein the absence of reliable information from the Government as to each worker* earnings, and from the extreme di faculty experienced if. eliciting from the men themselves a faithful ac count of their daily wages, to combat this asser. t;oy, but this much I maintain, that on that nor. tion of the Gatlins road to which I am alludin* no capable worker failed to earn a f.iir day's wage for eight hours work ; and the work being lot by contract, t':e gin^ were ;it peifect liberty to work as many homy ns they chose, and to earn as much ma day as they could. Hud "Athos'a" contention oa tma-pojnt been sust«\ine3 by actual facts the road would never have been finished • and it w..uld bo impossible to find a single yard throughpat its entire length where-n tho work has not been faithfully and honestly completed. Ilad tha workers been discontented this would have beeu otherwise, and this contention applies with equal force to the subsequent paragraph, Number i. Again, " Athos" in his fifth cliaigcauimadvcrta on the difficulties experienced by the men in obtaining supplies. Not only had the w-rkers hero the • cry same inconveniences to confront, but sometimes they who on short allowance ; yet they never complained. They knew all supplies cam'a by cc.i, and if by reason of stormy weather or unfoicseaa occurrence the steamor did not call, it; was impossible to k ep them fully supplied, and accordingly they quietly submitted to the inevitable. The manager was continually in. anxiety on this account, and did all in his power to keep the workers supplied, and do one could havo done more. No, ' Atho3," judge not too harshly of our paternal Government. Many a. one has bad the wolf stayed from entering his dwelling by means of the co-operative works when, no other relief presented i.tself ; and when it isjeon*idered that let workers earn a moiety over a* fair day's wage, and the pr^s will be ablaze with, denunciations against the system of co-operation as tending to cripple local industries by offering inducements to workmen lo engnge in co-operative lib ,ur as preferential to private contract by reason of the hi»h wages to bs earned, "Athos" will at once concede that price 3 must perforca bo kept wit Din due limits.

Many and conflicting opinions were freely ex-pre-scd at the inauguratiou of the co-operative principle, and its subsequent working bas been openly discussed in all its beariDgs, but as one who on your own admission has taken advantage of the schemo, I am afraid, "Atbos," you have actod imprudently in advocating the abrogation of a principle which to some lias been an immense deal of good aDd to all very little harm.— l am.

Interestkd,

Waikawa, April 2.

"KISS ME, JACK, AND LET ME GO." Once, long ago, I was witness to a duel in California. The two men hud been bosom friends, but h&A quarrelled about (of course) a woman. Splendid fellows both — yrung, brainy, and ambitious. A« they stood in a clear space among the pine trees near Sacramento, pale as lilies, steady as rocks, weapons in hand waiting for the word, the rising sun shining athwart the lina of vision, they presented a picture too often seen in 1856. The pistols cracked almost simultaneously. Ona man stood erect, evidently untouched ; the other fall upon his back aud lay straight and still. Seconds, surgeons, and spectators, rushed to bis side. Ho was " all there," mind as well as body. "No, don't disturb me," be said coolly to the doctor ; " I'm shot fatally and shall die in live minutes. Call Jask, and be quick." Pistol still in hand, hi 3 antagonist c?m.3 and bout over hh erstwhile chum. The excitement rmoDg tha crowd was intense; the dying man alouu was eibi. "Jack, my darling old boy," he paid, " ioigi' ' ncl forgive her. Kiss me and lc j me go > minute mo/o and he was d^ad, with Ja g aeroaa hiV body crying like a ha^y.

Alter I b 1 i you another mid very differeuL atoi ( i show wherein thoy Leach the scmo less .

There is nt. l;.< r ly in thia ouo ; nevertheless it is of widei I> , - a interest than the other. A woman had been iil inoro o«* less all her life The details are commonplace enough, and yet; they will appeal to millions who care nothing for the jealousies of youog men in love.

"At times," she says, " I suffered from pains at the back of the head and a Feme of weight, aud felt tired snd weary ; yet it was not from work only. I had a strange feeling, too, oE something hanging over me, as of some evil or danger that 1 could not explain or define.

"My appetite was variable; sometimes I could eat anything, and again I could not touch any food at all. But I was never laid up, as v wire."

Fleaae note the last sentence. It may seem like the weakest, but really is fcho strongest point in thii lady's statement. We will tell you why in a moment.

Shs goes on :—": — " Still I was often in misery, but got along fairly well until August 1890, when I had a severe attack of rheumatism. First the great toe of my right foot and the thumb cf my right hand grew hot and painful. After a time the trouble extended to my back and hips. I could not straighten myself ; I waa almost bent double. Month after month I was like this, getting little or no Bleep at night. Medicil tieilmejjt proved of no benefit to me. In December 1891 the pain almost drove me mad. My face was swollen to nearly twice its natural &izo, and my eyes were to covored by the enlarged lido that I could scarcely pee. There was a constant singiog in my ears, and tho doctors said I had erysipelas.

" For days and dajs I could not walk across tte floor, I.nd for some time I was able to move about only by taking hold of the furniture ot other objects. When all other means had been tried and had failed, Mother Seigel's Curative Sjrup was recommended to me. A single b)ttlo did me a deal of good. I kept on with it, and soon was stronger and in belter health than for 40 years previously. I still take an occasional dote, and continue in good health notwithstanding my age (4-8) and tbs 'change of life.' I tell everyone what the Syrup has done for me, and give you permission to publish what I have said. — Yours truly (signed), [Mrs] Maby Jane Milnes, 18 Walker's Buildings, Brewery lane, Thornhill Lees, near Dewsbury, Yorkshire, October 12, 1892."

Now for the lesson of befch these incidents : what is it ? This — that it 13 not people in desperate extremities who suffer most. Pain is la proportion to the resistance to disease. Thoaa who surrender, who are in despair, who give up, have present punishment largely remitted. Dying persons are the most comfortable of all. Hopelessness and dissolution administer their own anodynes. Those who are not laid up, wh» are ill, and yet work and struggle, need pity and help. This lady was one, and to suck Mother Seigel always proves a friend.

The Taiert Advocate reports that the premises of Messrs Dyson and Co. were burglariously entered the other sight, but nothing was missed.

Had any judicial luminary popped his head into the jury room of the Supreme Court on Thursday (says the Post) ha would possibly have been inexpressibly shocked to find coroner, jury, and witnesses enveloped in clouds of tobacco smoke. The explanation is that sundry high-smelling exhibits so fouled the atmosphere — one man remarked he could have "out it with a knife" — that the soothing weed was resorted to by general consent as « disinfectant*

-I