MR. HOGG GETS A LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 407, 16 January 1909, Page 6

MR. HOGG GETS A LETTER.

FROM SIBERIA

QTJAINTLY ADDRESSED AND QUAINTLY WRITTEN.

. The Hon. A. W. Hogg must; have been impressed, with his new elevation, and recognised the far-reaching fame of his Department, on receiving, from a correspondent ■in frozen. Siberian Irkutsk, the following quaint letter addressed to "His Excellency'* the Minuter' for Labour, New Zealand;— "Dear Sir,—Having heard and read : a great deal about New Zealand, about ; the fertility. ,of the. soil,- in short, about the comparative easiness of making-a tolerable living by' ihand persevering work, I have be-: coipe desirous of trying my.', luck in- your colony, and - therefore, dear. sir, I. take.the liberty to ask you kindly to : answer the .following questions, and,,if possible, give me all the informations that you think might be of any value to me. . , '

' "(1). How is the climate (for human beings and vegetation) ? ■'"(2) How is .the nature of the soil? ' "(3) ; Can-foreigners , obtain (rent : or buy) land? If so, oil which conditions? \ 1 'i -" (4) Is plantation work remunerative P ■'' "(5) Which' are the principal plants' cultivated? ■

"(6) Whore and how aro the products sold? • "(7) How is cattle-breedingP ' "(8) Ca;n tutter'be produced and sold at a fair advantage P "(9) Is it difficult to procure servants (agricultural and plantational) P . "(10) la the employer or . the - employee handicapped? : "(11) How are the conditions in general regarding employees? . ■ "(12) la it difficult to obtain help (loan or oreditl to start a business (farming or plantation) ? ■ • <

"(13) la it difficult to obtain a situation as a clerkp And how is the salary? ; "(14) Ib the living expensive? Please give a few terms (rent, lodging, food, etc.)."I shall .only add that I am a Dane, 28 years of age, and that I hayo learned Danish farming and dairy business j after that I have served in an international telegraphio eompariy &i years, and taught myself to speak English, German, Swedish, and Russian, I diapoße 'of 3—400:0, . "Thanking you in anticipation, I remain, gratefully yours, , A young man who combines so much caution with so much' enterprise should surely make'his way.'