THE CAMBRIDGE FARMERS' CLUB AND LABORERS' WAGES.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1248, 29 June 1880, Page 3

THE CAMBRIDGE FARMERS' CLUB AND LABORERS' WAGES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I observed in your issue of the 24th that, at a meeting of the Cambridge Farmers' Club, Messrs Maclean and Knnciman csnsidered that wages in Waikato were far too high to farm profitably, and that there must be a considerable reduction. Now, sir, in justice to the workfng man, I cannot allow these remarks to pass unheeded. Mr Maclean, in his remarks on the subject, says : — "The difference between 3s 6d, which was the old rate and 7a 6d, which was the present, meant in most cases the difference between profit and loss." I should like to ask Mr Maclean where there is an employer of labor about this district giving 78 6d per day— day work ? If he could inform me, he would confer a great boon on a few working men that I know that are out of employment in Cambridge. If, sir, he had said from 6s to 6s, he would have spoken the truth. The wages that Maclean & Co. are giving are 5s per day of nine hours (dry work) ; 7s per day of eight hours swamp work, and I think those wages are too low for an up-country district, for a man will not average above five days per week all the year round, so at 5s per day he would only make 25s per week. How is a man going to support a wifje and family, and, in some instances, pay hou«e-rent out of that sum, let alone putting anything by in case of sickness or being out of employment? And yet they want to reduce to 3s 6d, which means 17s 6d per week — a nice sum truly on which to support a wife and five or six children. Captain Runciman says he has done many a hard day's woi'k for 2s 6d. Ido not doubt the gallant Captain's statement, for at the present time I know one or two men about I this district hardly worth that. In fact would be dear at that wage ; but they are what is generally termed " duffers," and I suppose the Captain belonged to that class. I should think by his remarks that he would like to get men for 3s Gd per day, and to work four him from 4 o clock in the morning until dark at sight. There is no doubt he is a very reasonable and considerate man. I should advise him to sell out and go to Oregon, or get a steam man— but that would be too expensive, for he would begrudge the fuel and oil. Its a pity the law would not allow him to get a consignment of niggers from the Islands, and make them work 18 hours per day, and feed them on potatoes, like pigs; he would soon then turn Marsh Meadows from a wilderness into a paradise. He is such a clever unselfish man that I would advise him to return to the Government the £14 or £15 per year that he receives as Captain of the Cambridge Troop, it would be ci trifle towards paying off the colonial debt ; but I forgot, that would pay one of his unfortunate men (at the wages he would like to give) nearly a-half year's wages. In conclusion. Sir, I hope that the working men of Waikato will bestir themselves, and endeavor to form a society to protect themselves and their wives and families against such gross injustice as the members of the Farmers' Club would impose upon them.— l am, &c. Live and Let Live. Cambridge, 29th June, 1880.