IDLE YARNS BY SOME OF COURTNEY'S CADETS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8764, 28 April 1890, Page 3

IDLE YARNS BY SOME OF COURTNEY'S CADETS.

ONE OF THE WANDERERS GOT TO WELLINGTON.

A Commission bearing the not very pleasant title of the " Sweating Commission " have been making work for themselves by collecting the grievances of al( the discontented people in New Zealand. The latest addition to these grievances bus been the introduction, by someone who is evidently ashamed to see his name in print, of some of Mr Courtney's cadets. We take the following from the New Zealand Times: — A gentleman waited on the Commission and stated that he had several witnesses whom he wished to give evidence. Ho stated that a short lime ago he was travelling in the bush when he met a decent looking young man, evidently a new chum, carrying a swag, and he made some inquiries as to how he had come to be in such a plight. The young fellow told him that he had been induced to leave England on the representation that he would be placed on a farm. The first three months he worked as a probationer, and after that, as his employer was unable te pay him, he had to look for other work, and he was then in a deplorable condition. This, tho gentleman said, was only one of many cases, and he stated that nine youngsters had been brought out by the Tongariro under similar circumstances, one of them being only 14 years of age. He was disinterested in tho matter, and he thought some action should be token to prevent the continuance of such a state of thingß. A young fellow, 19 years of age, then came forward, and stated that he was a printer. He had been induced to leave England by Mr Courtney, an immigration agent, who had told him that he would receive a " vacancy as a cadet ou a farm in Taranaki." Several others came out with witness.

The Chairman : Did you pay anything ? The witness said that he paid the agent his passage money. The agent said they ■would be all right when they got to Taranaki. There was plenty of work there, and they would be able " to earn a shilling an hour easy." Witness was offered work at Hobart and Capetown, and on one occasion he got his luggage and was going to leave the vessel, when the agent, who ■was on board, came along, and said, " You don't want to do anything of the sort; there is plenty of work in Taranaki for you, and you will be much better an afarm." When "witness got to Taranaki he was put into a livery stable, and he had to work v certain time for nothing, and then he got 5s a week. He hud to work from 5 in the morning until 10 or 11 at night, and it was often 9 or 10 o'clock before he got anything to eat. He remained at this place for about a fortnight, and then he felt knocked up. He was then put on a farm. He was to work for nothing for some time, and then he was to get a few shillings. He had to get up at 5 a.m., and sometimes at 2, to make butter. He was employed milking cows, and he explained that he had never had anything to do with cows or horses before. After the milking was over he had to cart wood and do other jobs. He remained there for about three months. He then went to another settler and stayed for about three weeks. When he told his employer he was going he asked for his wages, but the settler refused to give him any. He had tried hard to get employment at his own business in Taranaki, but was not successful. He was now employed in a printing office in Wellington. He had fared a great deal better than some of the others who were brought out. He knew several '* fellows " who were 22 or 23 years of age who had to work for 5s a week. Mr , who had introduced the witness, here interjected that it was the duty of the Commission to inquire into this matter. If the Commission wanted samples of these selected immigrants he could produce them — nine lads, who, he sarcastically remarked, would make fine bushinen.

The Chairman stated that one of the Ministers was present, and he (the Minister) suggested that the lads should obtain an interview with the Minister for Lands on the following morning.

Mr said he could not see Mr Richardson, but a gentleman who had seen him informed him that Mr Richardson said there ■w as no redress for the lads, only to go on and try their fortune, and he implied by his ■words that if they failed there was such a thing as a Charitable Aid Board in the country. The Chairman : If the agent has brought them out under false pretences they have surely got a remedy. At any rate thero ■was the exposure through the press, and the press were never slow to take up the grievances of the pubUc, nor was Parliament.

Mr stated that two lads named ilcEwen, who had come out by the Tongariro, had tried to obtain employment as boot improvers. Mr Hannah would have taken them on, but he was debarred from doing so by the Trades Union. If he took these boys on the men would go out on strike.

The Chairman : Have you these boys here ? Mr : Yes. He stated that Mr Lindsay would also have taken the lads on, but was prevented from doing ho on account of the Trades Union. (He then left the room for the purpose of fetching the lads). The witneas stated that on the voyage out he was told that several of those who had been brought out by the same agent were destitute. The Chairman said he was very sorry the witness had been illtreated, but it was not within the scope of the CommiHaion to inquire into the charges against the agent referred to. As Mr had not returned with the lads McEwen at 8,45, the 'Commission decided to adjourn until Saturday morning, when the boys will give their evidence. LATEX PARTICULARS. Wellington, April 28. — The Government's attention having been directed to the case of youths beiug bent out to Taranaki from London under the auspices of Mr Courtney, they have communicated ■with the Agent-General requesting him to take such stepK to prevent a continuance of udiapprehonbion that may exist respecting Mr Courtney's slatua and powers.