THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9305, 4 August 1908, Page 3

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

THE COST OF LIVING. A "Star" reporter this morning interviewed a young man who has been engaged in contract work on the Sloven '« Or*n-k Viaduct, on the Midland Railway line, since January of this year, and who came into town last Wednesday only because he had injured one of his "hands.,, and was unable to work. He said that he and two other men " bached " together in a 12 x 10 tent. They hnd a fireplace at tho end of the tent, but did not require to keep^ a fire going after they went to bed in order to keep warm. Thn cost of living was not nearly so hisch or stated by Mr P. Cramer.. A 41b loaf ccst only Bd, not 1«. and a 21b loaf "was, ho believed, sold for 4d. Meat was filightly denier than in town, byit not exorbitantly so. Butchers visited the Sloven's Creek camp twice a week, remaining two days on each occasion. Tliere was a. grocery store some little distance from tho works, and groceries wore only slightly dearer than, in town. He and his tent-mates never found it necessary to buy firewood at all, as there was plenty of dead wood about to be had for the trouble of collecting it. He and his tent-mates livsd fairly wll. They had butter, meat, jam" and so forth, and tho average weekly cost per man was 12s to 14s, including tobacco, and t was possible to live on 10s a. week and get plenty of solid, wholesome food. He did not find tent-lifo miserable at all, as the tent was always warm and comfortable.