THE HARD WORD

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1921, Page 3

THE HARD WORD

IMPATIENCE AND INTOLERANCE

(By J.N.)

“He put the bard word on me,” said the 16-year-old apprentice, in'complaint of bis foreman. Under pressure of a curious judge, the lad explained that “the hard word” consisted of an order to the apprentice to go back to his, bench, from which presumably he had strayed in the pursuit of what he would probably cull A “mag,” otherwise a conversation. Here is a revelation of young Australia’s attitude to all ‘constituted authority. It is .by no means an isolated instance, though it gained wide publicity largely by reason of the Judge’s comment, “Oh, the foul-mouth-ed tyrant!”

Unfortunately, satire is of no avail. The resentment of the apprentice is understood and supported by ninetenths of his youthful co-workers, and by an increasingly large number of journeymen. They believe, or affect to believe, that it is neither right nor expedient that blame of any kind -whatever should be attributed to them for faults of commission or omission. ‘Ar-r-r, it’s no good to me!” exclaimed the boy in the engineer’s shop, as he was putting on his coat at the finish of the day's work. “Roustin',’ alus roustin,’ that’s wot’e is, so ’e kin ’have it on ’is own.”

He had been working exactly six weeks after receiving his school certificate, and bis speech was an eloquent tribute to tlfe incapacity of the education system and its expositors. “Wot did ’e say to yuli, Bern?” sympathetically inquired one of the men. “Wot did ’e say? I tell yuh wot ’e says. I goes inter town for them tyres, and’ w’en I gets hack, ’is Nillw says, ‘Mv word, Bern., you’ve been some time away, ain’t yuh?’ ‘N I’d o’nv been since two o’clock. Blowetl if I’m goin’ to stay ’ere to be picked on fur everythin’ like this.” “Nonsense, Bern., it’s the first time anything’s been said to you, mid you know it,” remarked a fitter, sharply. “Oh, is it?” rejoined the injured one. “Well, it’s the last, anyhow. ’Sides, I’m not keen on this game, gettin’ all messed up, an’ Mum goin’ off a treat about mo clo’es. Dad kin get me a job as a messenger, startin’ at a quid a week, so I’m doin’ a duck outer this.” Sure enough he was missing next day, hut his clad turned up later in the week to demand his precious offspring’s wages, and to grumble over the way that smart boy had been treated. Dud was even inclined to be bellico o till lie found he could be accommodated in that department by a boss who was nearly “fed up” himself, and rather welcomed the 1 opportunity of working off his spleen on some outsider. This employer is one of the bestnatured of men, asking only a fair thing from bis employees, and never fussing over trifles. let he lost two men in .succession over trifles light as air. The first was a civil request t one not to employ a “kick start” in using spanners, which are costly articles nowadays, and not easily replaced. For some inscrutable reason the ni|aiii took umbrage at the remark, which was not made in the hearing.of anyone else, asked for bis time, and departed within an hour. In the other case, trouble acosc over a matter of whistling. The young fellow was an inveterate siffleur. Popular rags and jazc.es and quicksteps poured from him in shrill and never-ceasing streams. He was really a nuisance by reason of his persistence, and had to submit to a deal ol rude chaff and remonstrance from his mates. This he bore with good spirit; but when one day the .boss, explaining to a customer certain work then in a machine, asked the whistler to case off for a minute or two, .was astonished and disgusted at the display of furious temper by the operative. His language was much more violent and annoying than bis piping, and he had to l>c sent away. It happens often enough that men are extremely touchy about their capacity. That is, they will tolerate no direction .whatever even from an employer who has forgotten more about the job than ever they learned. An illustration was afforded when, for a special piece of precision work,’ three lots of working drawings wore handed to one of the engineers. It is true that two of these were of an elementary nature, but studied in conjunction with the third, made the complications of the job disappear. “What’s all this lot?” demanded the hand, suspiciously pawing the tracings. It was explained why and wherefore. “No good to me” emphatically announced the operative, “I don’s want to be taught me business at my time of J life.” And nothing would shift him. Even when the boss offered to let him make his ‘choice of the plans he- .sulked, mortally offended by the supposed reflection' on his skill, and, giving a week’s notice, lie left an establishment in which he had been comfortable and well-paid for a couple if veairs. And so it goes on, until employers, at their wit’s end to coax the uncontrollable, and failing miserably, seek business agents for the disposal of their concerns. .Cl “It’s no good to me!” is their final deliverance.