YOUTH’S ADVENTURES

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1932, Page 3

YOUTH’S ADVENTURES

AUCKLANDER IN AUSTRALIA MANAGES TOBACCO GANG. AUCKLAND, Feb. 23. ”1 saw Sydney as a tourist for the first week, as a vagrant for the second and as a respected guest of one of its citizens for the third,” said a slim blond youth, but lately turned 19, son of a well-known Aucklander, bn returning from Australia, whence he went -last year seeking employment and adventure. He left Auckland last September with £8 10 in his pocket, after he had paid his steerage fare. Spending 7s Gd on the ship, he had £3 2s Gd left, but lie determined to patronise a reasonably good hotel, and, what was niore, arrive there in a taxi, and then his resources were about os. During his week at the hotel he managed to see almost every part of Sydney, owing to the friendliness of a well-to-do traveller, who insisted on taking his around and “showing him the sights.” .SLEEPS IN BOTANICAL GARDENS The week up he went to the Botanical Gardens, whence he slept at night under a hedge. During the day he presented himself in the offices of Sydney firms as a young man in need of work and with possibilities as a commercial traveller. He was unsuccessful. -lie went to Darling Harbour, and got work for three days there as a fish gutter at 7s Gd pci lialf-day. He decided that even halfdays were too much for him in that occupation. He lelt, but, as luck would have it, he met an old school friend from New Zealand. On learning his circumstances, his friend invited him to spend a week with him.

During his stay he went to interview a Government tobacco expert, to whom he represent himself as a young man several years older than he was (18 years old at the time), who had considerable knowledge of tobacco plantation work. The expert tested his knowledge, which he gained, in several months spent on a New Zealand tobacco plantation. He was successful in getting an appointment as contract manager of a gang of nine men and a foreman in a tobacco planting enterprise. He was sent to Brisbane first class, and stayed ed at the best hotel in the city. There lie met the heads of the company, and was suppled with a car and all camping equipment necessary for the undertaking. His wages were 30s per week, and he was to have a large “cut” in the sales. He estimated that he would draw' about, £2OO if the crop and the marketing of it were successful.

The crop was what he described as a. compete “take,” meaning that it was well grown and healthy. About the time he was ready (two months later) to market 1 iis crop the ban.v with which the company did business failed, and the company went bankrupt. Thus he was defeated of a just reward, after two month’s work. Despite the company’s bankruptcy, they gave him his fare back .to New Zealand.

ENORMOUS STATIONS. Before his return to the Dominion lie worked for two weeks as a rider on a cattle station. “1 thought l could ride when I took that job,” he said,‘‘but when I was expected to do things that the hardened cattle men did I realised soon enough that 1 was barely a novice.” The cattle station was one of 250,000 acres, and lie said there were a number of that size in Queensland. “People in New Zealand would hardly credit the of these stations,” he remarked, “but there is one there so vast that the owner does not know, how much land he owns. He once took 130 days to ride to farthest extreme. Jt appeal’s that the land is very arid, and it takes many acres to support one animal.” The riders were just like the American cowboys, minus the leather chaps and the proverbial pistols, which latter were replaced by great stockwhips. With these the riders could cut a snake into two pices while the snake was on the run. In Sydney, the Aucklander said, the people appeared to him as happy as Auckland people, despite the depression. The unemployed men live mi the beaches where they grow as brown as Maoris.