HARD TIMES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1692, 31 January 1888, Page 3

HARD TIMES.

A cabinetmaker, who seemed to bear

his trouble with a Mark Tapley-Jike resignation, decariog that there were “ lots in Bethnal Green worse than he was,” was busily engaged in making a Canterbury whatnot for a retail house. Two small rooms cost him 5s 6d per week. The one in which he was working served at least a double service, for on one aide were three hutches containing rabbits, bred and reared until worth 6d each, when they were sold to dealers in Brick Lane.

“This Canterbury,” he said, “costs me right off for wood and that about 5s 9d ; it takes me two good days to make it, and I gets 8a 6d for it in the white a cabinet-making term for unpolished goods. “ Tnis is what I give for the. stuff, ” continued the poor fellow;’ “For inch-and-helf, 7d for deal, la for vaneer, Is 6d for turning, Is for castors and drawers, 4d for glue and paper, and Is 2d for 1 solid wood.’ Speaking rough-like, it costa me 6s, and I gets 2s 6d for two days’ work. But things now in the cabinet line is cruel!” “And about how much would that Canterbury fetch in a shopl” “About 18s 6d at least, and it'll cost ’ra 2s to polish it. If 1 don’t make ’em at 8s 6d others will. My missus makes paper bags, and she gets Id a thousand for cutting out and making the bags—ounce up to quartern, assorted. A penny a thousand—that’s all she gefß 2 Her master gives her the paper out—and he knows exactly how many it’ll cut into—and she finds the paste 1” It was no uncommon thing for the family to go a whole day without food. One Saturday, after paying 5s 6d for rent, 2d only remained in the exchequer, and that amount was invested in coal to cook a Sunday dinner, which was not then in view.

“On Sunday morning,*’ remarked the cabinetmaker, “ 1 was at my beam ends. We had no food in the place. We did not wake the children up, for there was nothing for them to eat. 1 managed to get a shilling for a rabbit. We had a glorious breakfast of bread and dripping, and the missus bought some ‘ pieces ’ which made a stew.”