LETTERS FROM-THE BACK BLOCKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 57

LETTERS FROM-THE BACK BLOCKS.

My dear Dot', — I had a message from my cousin Elsie by the last mail. She says she thinks I must be getting the most conceited boy in New .Zealand, and that she is quite tired of seeing my name in your page. So am I. She also says I am not to believe all the girls say about me. I don't. I have "been told hundreds of times by people who ought ( to know that -every girl in_New Zealand had kissed the Blarney stone, tip T take it all ■with a grain of salt. But if the little folk don't drop it I shall certainly change .my name. Steve and I used to tie talked v lo pretty plainly when we were small boys, but-'we never cared, and when Elsie told us we were the dirtiest boys - or the cheekiest boys she ever knew, we never believed a word of it. I suppose she used to think we were ashamed, but we were Eot; wo were only pitying girls for minding a little dirt. She says she has found out that upon a closer acquaintance with the English boys they are not such saints as they look. I never thought they were any better than the colonials. Tf she were here now she would have a vote to-morrow for the first lime. I should think she would feel dreadfully sorry she isn't here. I do hope she is letting everybody know ■what an advanced country she came from. I am not taking much interest in the election. Everybody knows it is- going to be a walkover for our present member. If ever I stand for -Parliament, I should want it to be a jolly good fight Dad says he doesn't think it's worth the bother, but I should like to fight for somebody that was going in. I suppose there will ijo great excitement in the big towns.

We are in the middle of shearing, but the men won't do much, as they will all want to get their horses and go to the poll. We have had a very wet shearing, but hope to finish in - a few days. Have you ever been in a shed, Dot? Sometimes we get a lot of lady visitors, and some years we go, through without seeing on\ I have been mustering mostly this time. Last year I was doing odd jobs and learning to class. Wo nearly always have the same men to shear and press, and the same cook. This ,year the .cook got ill, .so we had to get another. My little brothers inform me that they like much better, ho" allows. them ,the.ff cc run of the cook-shop 'and the sugar bag. Thy cook is a great 'man with the children qn Saturdays and holiday s.. r <-~. I, remember the ■time when "pannikin tea and "brownie" with _tha -shearers was the joy of my life. To get out* of" . school at 4 o'clock and rush to the .shed was worth something. We have never had any bother with our shearers about, union rules. "These are the rules, nailed up in the shed, where everybody can see them : — Price for shearing, 15s per hundred sheep. • Working hours, from 5.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Shed to be cut out when required. Sheep to be carried from pen to board. Shearers not to take sheep from a pen that is being filled. 2Co shearer to leave without consent of employer. No badilanguage allowed in shed. Stoppage for meals, etc. — Breakfast, 7 to 8; dinner, 12 to l;tea, 4; smoko, 9.45 to 10.15,-2.30 to 2.45, 4 to 4.20. On Saturdays no shearing after 4. A gentleman, in the train told Dad that none, or very few, of your little folk in the town, Dot, knew much about sheep or sheds, and ho thought a good many of them would like to hear something about it. If you think so, 1 will try to tell you something more next week. 8.0.8. [No, 8.0.8., I have, not been in a woolshed while shearing was on, but hope to have lliat experience some day. lam Hiiro many tpwn little folk would be only too pleased to "have a flrt<»riv)tion of the shearing from your pen. — DOT.]