THE GREAT UNEMPLOYED.

Evening Star, Issue 3991, 9 December 1875, Page 2

THE GREAT UNEMPLOYED.

To the Editor. the remarks in Messrs Reith and Wilkies letter, in your Saturday’s issue, affect hundreds and not one individual, w© beg of them to publ sh the name of the person who has caused that noble firm so much annoyance as to cause them rush into print, in order that we may be in a position to give a full reply to their letter.—l am, &c., W. Harper, -r, _ For self and others. Dunedin, December 6. To the Editor, —ln Saturday’s issue a letter appeared Inaied as above and signed “Reith and Wilkie,” That there are lazy, impiov dent, and delicate men must be admitted, but I cannot think any man would give up a situation for no other reason than that stated in the letter ou Saturday. Taking it for granted, however, that it is true, it does not justify the wiiters in regarding all men out of work as belonging to the lazy and improvident classes. If Messrs Keith and Wilkie’s malady be not very virulent, if it be not such as to be pronounced incurable, I will prescribe for them. Take a pair of blankets, tent with fly, change of linen, billy, pannikin, frying-pan, plate, knife and fork, pack car fully, put them on your back, go up country, and look for wo k. I have just taken a dose of this, and many others are taking the same kind of physic. Should this nostrum be unsuitable for their constitutions, I would advise the following for two discourses in the Queen’s Theatre, and to practice the precepts contained therein j;o unto others as ye would others do unto you. Judge not lest ye be judged.’’ Messrs Keith and Wilkie, and others suffering from the same mania, must shut their eyes to the facts stated by the deputations that waited on Air Macandrew and on Atr Reynolds, which went to prove what the working men bad said here. I can give cases from Tapanui to Waimate, and to the West Coast.—l am. etc., John Morris. Hanover street, December 6.

To the Editor,

a word or two in reply to the magnanimous letter of Messrs Rcith and Wilkie ? Is it possible that your readers will be led away with such uncalled for remarks, based upon so frivolous a circumstance? Taking for granted that the culprit declined to soil his manly (?) lingers. Messrs 11. and W. at once yoke this solitary case upon the whole of the unemployed, and say that this “ seems to us a pretty fair sample.” Is ibis either just or generous, to say tlie least of it ? Would it not have been movo_ gentlemanly to have treated this paltry affair with silent contempt, instead of indulging in these unkind remarks, and wounding the feelings of those who are unfortunately without the means of supporting themselves, their wives, and little ones ? Is it not enough that we have come more than 12,000 miles, left home, kith and kin, to win our daily bread amongst you, without being taunted with being lazy and improvi-

dent? I r.sk any sensible person (under these circumstances) if it sounds probable that any man would give up his job if ho possessed a grain of common sense ; yet we are all placed in the sane category as this senseless loon. Am Ito tike this as *'a fair sample ” of the treatment that one receives ere he obtains employment, Is this the way to encourage our friends to follow us ? I will not make any rash statements unless I have a more sure foundation ; but I will give these gentlemen (with your permission) my experience in search of employment. Not a stone did I leave unturned, not a place where a ii me 7to turn U P’ but 1 repeatedly called. The manager of the railway had more than -00 applicants, the goods manager the same number; tho manager of the permanent way more than seventy at the pick and shovel! Let Messrs R. and W. see the number of applicants after an_ advertisement, and I feel certain that they will have a different opinion, and will not so readily wound the feelings of more than one _ _ Immigrant. Dunedin, December 6.