What Readers Think Letters to the Editor

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23319, 1 October 1945, Page 2

What Readers Think Letters to the Editor

ROAD REPAIRS Sir, —As a frequent user of that part of LeCren Street between Church and Arthur Streets. I would be interested in learning the cost of the repairs effected to the road surface there. It would also be interesting to learn the cost of resealing a mile of road surface at the rate a yard expended there.—l am, etc., Atomic. COWS IN BOROUGH Sir,—ls it permissible to keep and herd cows in the Borough a mile from the Post Office? Buchanan Street has become like a country road with pollution as these animals are driven between College Road and Hassall Street. This is utterly disgusting in a residential area. In Buchanan Street these animals are 'at a person’s front door. Surely before the heat of summer the Borough Council will see that they are removed and thus help to guard the health of residents by eliminating the fly meflace which is greatly intensified by having animals so near private homes. Residents of this neighbourhood have been kept awake at nights by the continual bellowing- of the animals. In the interest of a cleaner and healthier town the Borough Council should have these cows moved out of the Borough.—l am. etc.; Cleanliness. OPEN SPACES Sir,—Those people who have struggled against the alienation of park land in Timaru must have gathered much comfort from listening to the Parliamentary broadcast on Thursday evening. Every speaker on both sides of the House, without exception, emphasised the need for provision of more open spaces and more recreational exercise for the people and thus lessen the need for hospital accommodation. Those people ‘who have felt that alternatives for the Hospital Board are too expensive will have heard many speakers state that dividends in national prosperity are only possible by keeping people out of hospitals. It now seems impossible that Parliament could agree to the transfer of Timaru Park land after such representative expressions of enlightened opinion.—l am, etc., Health First. BOYS ON FARMS Sir, —Although living conditions for farm workers are in great degree attributable to employers’ conception of fair play and responsibility, it devolves upon the employee to establish his claim to worth and insist upon receiving the treatment to which his value as a man and workman, entitles him. “Boy’s Father” gives a resume of his son’s experience on a modern farm and though it is uninspiring to know that in one instance at any rate, a present day landholder has not yet transcended the ignorance, arrogance and ideas of rural servitude that produced the illiterate “Hodge” type of farm boy a century or so ago. It is also regrettable that your contributor’s son was insufficiently assertive to challenge his employer to justify his culpable unconcern. I am intimately acquainted with one who. in his youthful days, met similar conditions on an outback farm. Feeling himself humiliated and exploited, he decided for improvement and requested the lady-help to convey his compliments to Mr W conjoined with a wish for his presence in the kitchen. He came and “the hand” pointing to the frugality laid sparingly over the breakfast table, politely asked several questions anent meals, accommodation and other matters. Mr W stammered somewhat and left the kitchen. A few minutes afterwards the table groaned under an additional load. A complete change was effected and sometime afterwards, having to fulfil harvesting engagements, the worker left the farm weighing 12 stone and the best of friends with Mr W . The boy may learn something from the foregoing.—l am, etc., G. Vaughan Hooper.

Sir,—May I try to enlighten “Farm Boy’s Mother” with some facts concerning a boy’s life on a farm? A town lad arrives to commence life on a farm; he has been educated in a town school; he cannot read, he is underfed, underclothed, and knows not what religion stands for. He has neither been christened nor ever entered the doors of a church. Christmas, Easter and Sundays have no significance for him other than being public holidays. The position he held in town prior to coming to the country carried a salary of £52 a year. The conditions on the farm for this lad is a cosy room with fireplace, plenty of wood and coal, bedside gramophone, furnishings provided, plenty of candle-light and all evenings free. His hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (winter) and 6.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. summer). He has five substantial meals a day and plenty of fruit in and out of season. His salary for the year ended March 31. 1945. was £152. and for six months ending September 30. it has risen to £97. He has all public holidays and one and a half days’ full time off each week. Arriving back on Monday morning after his week-end rest, he appears as though he had gone to the picture show to improve his morals, walked the streets and slept in the park, and comes in to breakfast wearing old castoff trousers which he has worn for weeks without a wash.

“Farm Boy’s Mother” thinks we farmers’ wives could help by doing his washing. I saw definitely not. That is his mother's privilege—l am. etc., Boy’s Wellwisher.

Sir,—l read with some concern the story/ of “Bov's Father” and would like to inquire whether this happened in recent times. Had this happened in slump times the boy would be considered well-off; but if it happened recently, as the letter seems to indicate, what was wrong with the boy? Had I been placed under similar circumstances. I would not have spent the night (let alone six months) in spite of conditions laid down by my father. Surely the bov mentioned the circumstances in which he was working in letters home during the six months. What kind of a father was he to allow his son to continue working under such conditions? Before starting employment any other bov would inquire about wages, duties and the accommodation provided. I am afraid this story has an eighteenth century swing with it.—l am. etc., A Youth.