THE OLD DAYS—AND NOW.

West Coast Times, 13 June 1912, Page 4

THE OLD DAYS—AND NOW.

THE CONTRAST. ADDRESS BY SIR ROBERT STOUT. PRESENT DAY DEFECTS. WELLINGTON, Juno 3. Sir Robert Stout drew some interesting comparison's between life in New Zealand fifty years ago and today, in an address which ho delivered in the New Theatre, under the auspices of the Central Mission Men’s Brotherhood. Mr. E. Arnold, J.P., presided, and there was a largo attendance. The Old “Wind-jammers.” At the outset tho Chief Justice described his first voyage out to Now Zealand. It occupied 128 days, and the conditions were extremely uncomfortable. Water and coal both ran short, and provisions were poor in

quality and limited in quantity, Tho vessel carried only twelve seamen, and eleven of them were on the sick-list at one time. The steerage passengers had to work the ship. She leaked rather badly, and tho pumps had to be constantly kept going. Tho speaker related that another lad-and himself had to go aloft, in a gale of wind off Madiera, and take in fho mizzon topgallant sail. Reminiscences of Early Dunedin.

When ho arrived at Dunedin, 48 years ago, ho thought Otago Harbour with its surrounding hills, bush-clad to the water’s edge, the prettiest place ho had ever seen in his life. 'The province of Otago had then been founded for 16 years and Canterbury for 14 years. ,Tho total population of the Colony at that date was 168,000 people. Provisions wore still being | imported in large quantities, and, when MivJ. Bathgate, an early Dunedin colonist, prophosised, at a moetmg, that in time to come the Colony would export wheat, the prediction was received, with roars of laughter. When Mr. Bathgate added that flour also would be exported, in time; the laughter was renewed, and when ho talked about exporting hams and butter, they thought, said the speaker, “that the old man was mad.” In those days most of the working peopk lived in tents, healthy habitations in good weather, but uncomfortable when it rained. Footpaths were almost unknown in Dunedin half a century ago, and for some years the colonists had to plough daily through mud, in going about their business. He had seen an empty bullock dray bogged in the main street of Dunedin on a summer day.

Has the Cost of Living Cone Up? A good deal was heard nowadays about the increased cost of livinnWell, he would toll them what prices were current during the early days in Dunedin. The four-pound loaf, made from the -worst flour, cost Is, and made from the best flour, Is 6d -Flour cost 6d per lb. ; beef Is per lb. ; mil ton, 10s to Is per lb.; bam, Us 6 d to 2s per lb.; lamb, 10s to 11s per quap . to; pork, Is to Is 3d per lb.; milk, per quart; butter (even in summer) 2s 3d and 2s fid per lb.; salt m f i to ol ls 10d; per lb -i cheese, is 6d to , ls 8d I* 1 ’ lb -1 eggs, 3s 6d to 4s per dozen; fowls, 10s to 12s per pairabout 4s per lb. Rents, the Chief Justice stated, were higher than today, making a fair comparison between the houses of then and the houses of to-day.

, 60 P ° Jiacl to pay school fees for the education of their children; there was no free education, there were no tree libraries, .everything had to be paid for. Wages were 8s per’day (Is per hour and 48 hours per week) for ordinary labourers. Carpenters earned' 10s to 12s per day, and other mechanics, about the same. With these conditions,, Sir Robert Stout stated, there had been less grumbling than there was to-day. People worked hard, and were careful. There was no waste, although there was, perhaps, more dunking than now. Brandy and mm were consumed in largo quantities' but, even then, a strong temperance

party existed. Cigarettes, of which 194 millions were sold in tho Dominid:i in 1910, wore unknown in Otago, when he first arrived as a colonist.

But, so far as his memory served, the people of those far-hack days were' as happy and laughed as much as they did to-day. The young people in particular were full- of hope and all tried to do what they could to make the colony great. Newcomers were welcomed and taken care of. When a settlor landed in those days ho did nor. demand a job in town. He took tho first job available and did not object if it lay a hundred mile inland. The Old Military Training—No Fuss. The fact that there were wars with tho Maoris in tho early days enabled tho speaker to institute another comparison between the days gone by and the present. Trouble broke out in the North Island, he stated, soon after ho landed in Otago. The Government demanded that everyone between the aoes of 18 and 60 should either regrster as militiamen, or join the volunteers There was no fuss about it, and no one raised objections. Many men volunteered for active service in the north. As showing tho spirit of the time, the Chief Justice mentioned that tho Otago High School Cadets, then lately enrolled, petitioned asking to be recognised as a -portion of the volunteer force. The Thriftless Generation.

Having described the conditions that obtained in New Zealand half a century ago, Sir Bobert Stout went on to indicate what, m Ins opinion, wore the -obligations resting upon the people of tho Dominion to-day. In tho first place there would have to be more thrift in the colony. He never passed a day in Wellington without seeing gross waste. Only a day or two ' previously ho had seon_ heaps of good firewood being burned in the Government House grounds. That firewood might have served to keep many poor people warm during tho winter. . It was impossible to go through a street without seeing waste of food, waste of clothing, and all sorts of tilings, going to waste. In the country magnificent bush had been cut down in order to afford pasturage for a few sheep. In some places tho clearing of the hills had led to the soil being swept down into tho gullies, leaving the slopes bare, useless aif-d reeky. Probably, in the'future, soil would have to be restored in such places by making plantations, at great cost, “Wo have waste in every direction,” continued the Chief Justice; “wo waste our lives. Look at our

young follows who walk about the streets proudly puffing at cigarettes We arc spending nearly a million pounds a year in tobacco, three to four million pounds a year or liquor The ‘pay-day’ will ccmo round, when somebody will have

to suffer for it. You can’t violate these laws—which are really laws of Nature—without somebody having to suffer for it.” We Want More Brotherhood. Another thing wanted, Sir Robert Stout went on to say, was more true ‘brotherhood. Such brotherhood was not confined to friends, but ‘was universal. Burns sang it: “When man to man, the warld o’er, shall brithers be, for a’ that.” Uidess that idea were grasped, all talk of brotherhood was a mere sham. The poor man who called the rich man his enemy did- not know anything about brotherhood. People must learn to love their enemies, and, unless the people of Now Zealand got this love in their hearts they would never be a great nation. There must bo more brotherhood and more kindness than wore displayed at present. Nothing was easier than to go with the crowd and cheer it on, but the courageous man was tho man who could say that the crowd was wrong. “That,” concluded’ tho Chief Justice, “is tho class of man that we need in New Zealand now.” A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to tho Chief Justice for his address.