VICTORIA AS A FIELD FOR LABOR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1816, 16 April 1888, Page 3

VICTORIA AS A FIELD FOR LABOR.

A NEW ZEALANDER'3 EXPERIENCE.

We have always, had grave doubts whether the Australian Ooloniea poeaeaa that superiority over New Zealand that some persons ere just now wishing as to believe. From time to time, even lately, In New Zealand papers letters appear giving a rather doleful account of Victoria. Hearing that there was m Ohtinohuroh just now a gentleman who was well-known here some few years a»o, and who went to '• the other side" m the hope of bettsring himself, one of our reporters Interviewed him to hear what be CGu'd communicate on the subject, He said that, some years ago he held the poßltloo of olerk to a well-known Christohurch firm, but having spent four years at that occupation he gave it up to try his fortune at station life. He went to tha Hawko's B*y district and became manager of a station there. He alao had a good deal of station experience m Canterbury. Having left Hawke's Bay he wont direct to Sydney, and from there to Queensland. This was ab ut> feu years ago la Queensland he " went out West," and succeeded m getting the position of foreman of improvements on a cattle sta'ion 400 miles from Brisbane. This does not appear to have been a very rosy billet. On the Station only a tew hands were employed to look after the oattle. Those who were thoroughly good stockmen received from 25a to 30s a week and found . The improvements our friend had to supervise mainly consisted m making provision for a water supply m order that sheep as well as oattle might be kept on the run After six months' experience beneath the broiling sun of Queensland he gave the station beat and resolved to try his f jrtune m Melbourne. . Be possessed 1 , many good references to st;ck and station agents of that city, anl interviewed these m hope of gotting a good billet. But no BUCceBS followed his efforts, the drought being at this time co eevero that employment was eoaroe. Nothing having turned up his fortune, began to wane, and he had recourse to a Labor Agency Office. In New Zealand! he had learned to plough, and this acquirement now was of advantage to him. "Why," our reporter aaked, "did you not try to obtain the position of a olerk ? "' To this be replied that there was no hope of getting Buoh employment. At tne Labor Agenoy he waß offered the billet of ploughman at 17s 6d a week and fouud, the locality being Gippsland. He had to uae a double-farrow plough, while his New Zealand experience was limited to one of the single-furrow class. But hia deficient education m this raspect he did not make known to hi* employers. However, he got on with the work very well, end gave as much satisfaction as his confreres, who were engagod at similar work. The amount ci r;l u^lii- g done waß between 300 and 400 aores, and the j>b lasted altogether six months. It was, however, pretty hard grafting. The ploughing daily lasted from 7 a.m. till 6 p.m. Then the horßes had to be attended to before and after work. It eimply meant workirig from daylight to dark. After thia engagement waa completed, the next thing that offered was a job of wool rolling, which he got by a chance. The remuneration waa 253 a week, but the job was only a short one. Another billet of hay harvesting at 25s a week followed, and when the hay waß all m, the farmer waß good enough ts continue the engagement, but at a reduced rata of wages Abont this time tho Teetulpa diggings broke out, and our enterprising fortuneseeker thought he would try his luck thera. But fortune declined to smilo. On the diggings there were plenty of saltbuah and rabbits innumerable, and Borne gold j but none of %'>e latter came hia way. Ho passed eight weeks on the diggings, but never met with the coleu 1 of gold. He cea?ed to ply the pick aud spade, and once more returned to Melbourne. He succeeded m petting a oentract to grub timber at £4 103 an acre. He had a couple of mitea now. They worked at thia contract for three months, during which timo they paid 12a a week for board I When the oontract was finished each mau found he had made a pound note for his three months' work bat still thing* might have been worse. Tble was m t^e neighborhood of Buckstone. Here there wece scores travelling aboat not abla to get work. Those who sucoeQ^ed m getting a job received 10b a week, and thought they had good billets. Ha took a job at thie rate of wages, but ho did not" atop long at it and once more cjanja down to Melbourne, but not to knock, down hit cheque. This time his visit to Melbourne happened to be attended with a little more luok. After Bervlng a ahort preliminary term on the tramway, he received a parmanent appointment. Some of the employes rcoeive £<2 53 a week, and othora £2 12j, but the latter are what are called " long hours men," and have to work 6Q I hours a week. He continued to work on tho tranaa tl|l tho strike took place, and then he went out with the rest, of the men. After a fe<y dayß they returned to work, but the Iram people ha*V QJily allowed them to roiu^u ia order thai traflao might be resumed. Aa soon as other man were oopible of doing the work those who " Btruok " were told their services were not wanted. There was no diffioulty m. geMlng men, to supply the place of those who had struck. In fact, the tram cffiie wva beßloged with appli cantq for work until notioa waa given that no more men would be seen. He did [ think that a man would h^ve a better chance of. employment In Victoria than hore. Farmers are not aa well off there as they are m this country. — (Chriatchurch !•• Telegraph. V.