PAY AT 14s A DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1930, Page 11

PAY AT 14s A DAY.

. fto The Editor.): z f!r.—I lead. with interest your. EItham correspondent’s ("Worker’s Wife”)letter re above*, and- ae a comparison, with the farmer I am inclined to agree ■with her* but I venture to say that few: •f.thb N*w. Zealand-born farmers or 14s per day njen,4cn0w what hardship really, is. Thirty- years ago I was in London out of work without a shilling in my pocket. Tbr thfee nights I slept oh a. benjKh without even a top-coat, but I ■arrived, although there were no relief "works, *fid eventually I obtained a passage th Australia bn the s.s. Perthshire. When I left the Old Country •I had exactly 10s in cash, the clothes I stood up in, a couple of rugs and a donkey’s breakfast—that ie what the sailors call a bag stuffed with straw. When I arrived at my destination I was given 30s, my official discharge, and a reference, both of which I am enclosing dor your inspection. I had just £2 when if landed, and six months later I arrived New Zealand, and I have never one© regretted it. I am only a small farmer and have little to boast about. My ftmt cows I bought through an auctioneer and paid 10 per cent, interest. At ■on® time after paying the rent we only Jud a05 per month to live on, and every'thing, including the furniture, was mortgaged, as I am able, ahd'willing to prove, to you. On two occasions I was obliged to borrows on my life assurance policy. z Now, thanks to my wife and family, of which I hay© quite a quiver full, we •re out of debt. I am only writing this to show that difficulties} can be overpome if we try hard enough. It is no use one section of the community running down and blaming the other. That gets us nowhere. If we all make up our minds to pull together and, as the song keep painting the clouds with sunshine, I am confident our preeeht troubled will noon be over, and if the present crisis shows everyone, especially the farmers, how wise it is to bera little more, provident when times are good, then it is indeed a blessing in disguise.—I am, «t<W/ ' GOOD OLD N.Z.