British Minister’s Example

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 123, 19 May 1932, Page 4

British Minister’s Example

An exchange says: — “I lived like a fighting cock.” says Mr Ramsay MacDonald, describing his early days in London when ho was an invoice clerk' on 15s per week (quoted Mr St. John Ervine in “Good Housekeeping” for March). “Saved money, had a holiday in Scotland, and helped my mother, and in addition I paid fees at Berkbeck, the City of London ■ College and the Highbury Institute out of my salary.” How did I manage to do it? In the first place I used to buy myself whatever food I wanted around the slums of King’s Cross, but T used to receive my staple food oatmeal, sent to me from home, and I always paid for it. Of course I could not afford tea or coffee, but I found hot water quite as good as tea from the point of view of food and that it tastes quite as well when once you have got used to it In the middle of the day, had a meal at Pearce and Plenty’s in Aldersgate Street. I don’t think I ever spent more than twopence or threepence on it, although it was the meal of the dayo It generally consisted of beef, there was much beefsteak in it, but it filled up a corner and certainly did me no harm. My food bill worked out at about sevenpence or eightpence a day for everything, so that saving was easy.” ~