NO WORK IN DOMINION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5354, 21 November 1928, Page 1

NO WORK IN DOMINION.

DISAPPOINTED EMIGRANTS.

15 MONTHS WITHOUT A JOB.

Bittejr complaints of the difficulties which beset immigrants to New Zealand in finding employment in that country are madb by a former miner at the Lambton pits, Co., Durham, Alfred Rowell, in a letter to his wife.

Rowell emigrated s'ojnq time ago with the intention of sending for his wife and twq children, but not having secured regular employment he has been unable to dlo so, ajid the family is now in straitened circumstances. In his letter to his wife Rowell says — “There is no work here for anyone my any prospects of work. I. only wish I could get work to get my fare and I would bid good-bye to this country.” A further letter in the same strain has been received by Mrs Rowell from Mrs Mason, who, with her husband and 'family, also emigrated to New Zealand, where they met Mr Rowell.

Her, husband:, she states, emigrated 18 months ago, and has not yet secured regular, employment. For the past I's months the family has been living a minet but sq far Mr. Mason, although a collier, has pot been able to get work there, Mrs Mason strongly advises Mrs Rowell not to emigrate. 'WHOLESOME COMMENT.

Commenting on these pessimistic, letters, the Sunderland: Echq, yn a leading article, says :— “The conditions described certainly sound unhappy, but are not impossible or. beyond what a, pioneer would, expect. Mr Rowell complains of the climate, and yqt. he admits that he has goad health. He also qqmplains that he has no work, and yet he has food and shelter. Mr and Mrs who hail from South Wales, seem to have been in thq country 18 months, and share Mr Rowell’s dislike of piqneer.ing. This couple landed at Gisborne, and were advised by a Ne;w Zealander to offer themselves for work with a farmer and work for, three months frep of wages (it being understood that their fooid and hous-, ing would be found) In order to learn New Zealand ways. This offer was certainly a bit hard, but it had its merits sincq they would have been better able to get employment with the experience. But thqy rejected this suggestion with sc.or.n. POWER OF ADAPTATION.

“Nqw a,U this sounds very sad, but the facts are that unless people; wh° emigrate to the Dominions have the power of adapting themselves to their new environment they had better stay at home and I'ive on .the dolej thqugh whether that will tend to make citizens of them is doubtful. Life in the Dominion can be a# varied and as interesting as life in this country for < those who live in the towns, but it must be clearly understood that those who go qui with no capital, and whose previous occupations are such as mining, must be prepared to work on the land and adapt themselves to strange conditions and rough, (housing. Employers will vary. Many of them will be; poor, and probably can pay their men only in kind, and even the well-to-do will postpone payment of wages until a convenient seasqp for realising their harvest. It seems fajrly evident from the copy of ithq letters which we have received that neither Mr and Mrs Mason nor Mr Rowell, who came from mining districts, made the slightest effort to work on the land, as they were expected! and advised tq do. Farming is the primary industry, and in new countries there will always be work for the people who iqjre prepared to wqrk on the land for their ‘tucker* and moderate wages. Other people have made good under far more trying conditions, and lit is no use cursing the country.”