RETRENCHMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3949, 14 December 1880, Page 3

RETRENCHMENT.

TO THB EDITOR OT THE STAB. SlB, — Will you allow mo through the columns of your valuable paper to expose another freak of the order of the day (I mean retrenchment) — another instance of that most sagacious and uncompromising determination of the J. H. Government to pursue their policy, retrenchment, into all sorts of extravagances and injustice. The mountain is again in labour, and has produced a mouse. No game is too small for them ; the fat goose or the dirty little sparrow, fall alike to their gun. Mr Editor, in Ly ttelton the largest part of the heavy labour falls to casual labourers ; the discharging of cargo into trucks and to and from the sheds and vessels, &c, is mostly done by casual labour. Sir, a lot of men, mostly married with families residing in Lyttelton, hang out summer and winter in the hope of making a few days work a week ; the pay hitherto has been one shilling an hour, now they, the casual men, have received notice that it is to bo reduced from to-day to tenpence halfpenny. Now, Sir, during this winter the average pay per man has been, with one or two exceptions, about twenty- five shillings per week ; for that a man must come down to tho gate at a quarter to eight in the morning, and perhaps stop all day, and the next day, and get nothing ; or he may be put on at half-paßt nine, and eacked at dinner time, perhaps getting no more to do that day ; next day go on at two in the afternoon and off again at four. This, Sir, is a sample of the work of the casual labourer here, though some may do a little better by being a favourite of the foreman. Though you may have been years in Lyttelton, and proved yourself a Btcady man, if you are not a favourite thore ia little chance for you. Any new chum may fare better than you, and yet they take three-halfpence off your shilling, flow, the permanent men, they get their 8s a day, a few 7b 6d a day, wet or dry, and holidays. They ride on the train if they want to go to Christchurch or elsewhere, they and their families at » quarter the ordinary fare, and-— till lately — received half-pay when sick ; but the casuals have no privileges. If the little Jupiter hero was asked for a cheap ticket by a casual, Le would elevate his eyebrows at the audacious request, and with great emphasis would say, 11 No ! They are only for the staff ! " Now, Sir, a little while ago, they demanded a penny from every man having over £2 in a fortnight to take, but the Government is so poor we doa't grudge them the penny, but the tenpence-halfpenny is the last straw that breaks the camel's back. Excuse me for taking up so much of your space. — I am, &c, LANTEBK. Lyttelton, Deo. 13.