THEN AND NOW.

Southland Times, Issue 20256, 15 August 1927, Page 3

THEN AND NOW.

To the Editor. Sir, —It was only yesterday I was made aware that “Slim Jim” had said in one of his many interesting letters it would be interesting if “Old Timer” could “say something regarding the unemployment problem in those far-off days of which he writes in his early Dipton narrative.” I’m sorry his remark escaped me or I should have weaved it in at the time, but as it. is better to be late than never, and it may be of interest, I’ll recall what I remember of the labour customs in my younger days in Southland. To start with there were no labour unions or arbitration courts that I knew anything about, and as a young man I was as were others in the labour market from time to time, and we were all open to make the best terms we could individually, but there were none of those restrictions of to-day. We took what we could get, not what we demanded as things are to-day. Wages fluctuated according to the season and consequent demand for particular classes of work. Labourers were not on the same uniform base as they are to-day. I personally have had men at 8/- to 10/- a day with men at from 5/to 7/6, and the dearer men were frequently the most profitable to me. Men in those days had to prove their worth. As they became more efficient so their wages increased, 8/- to 10/- a day in those times went further than 12/- to 15/- these days. To put it shortly we, as labourers as I said before, took the best offering at the time and season of the year and I assure you, Mr Editor, it was a very rare thing to see able-bodied men doing nothing in our town streets as we see to-day, and it’s my belief every able man who really and truly wants work could get it if he would climb down a bit and adapt himself to times and circumstances as we had to during tight times. They can*t tell me that a half loaf isn’t better than no bread, to say nothing of the spirit of the thing. There are thousands of jobs to be done and w’ant doing badly in the country if they could only be done at a price the farmer can afford to pay. There’s bread and work for all of the whole community if they will knock off playing so much and get to work.—l am, etc., OLD-TIMER.