TO THE EDITOR OP THE MANAWATU HERALD.

Manawatu Herald, 26 June 1894, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR OP THE MANAWATU HERALD.

Sir, —" A living wage " controversy- occupied a great deal of space in the Londoa papers some few months ago. In F.Q.fton a> large number of our neighbour ß.art' upt ya the happy receipt of any wage. J-: 'We are told '• flax is down," and the co_t of production too great. Now the queation arise. —Will it not be better for the writer to be content with a wage enabUng^-hmt. to live till flax takes a turn i'athertl_w_ remainidle during the next three, months ? Thus a man who has been earning 43 per week, and who has now to keep hig family upon no revenue, will it not be better for him to keep the wolf from the door by earning 30s; or will not a young _d*n depending upon his mother and friends for the bread he eats, be glad for the time, being, even to earn 10s a week towards his support. I believe there are more than sufficient honest toilers in Foxton, who, rather than remain idle any longer would gladly work at a price low enough to guarantee the starting of a mill. If in a mill of 17 men, each would work for 3s per day and less, there would at once be a saving of £15 6s on a week's - work, or take a scale something like this, scutchers and engineer ss, feeders, pressor and washer 4s, paddockers, carter and bencher 3s fid, flyboy and catcher 2s 6d, or any other scale by which the reduction was properly equalized. Under theee circumstances perhaps some mill-owuer. might see his way to deliver at £10 ss. Supposing a mill were started npon such a wage, some contract would have to be signed aay for 3 months, which conld not be broken by the men unless flax advanced £2: nor by the owner unless il. f?U Btill further. For his own protection the owner would have to hold a fortnight's pay till end of contract. Conld the men meet together and discuss this matter I feel sure something might be done. If tho matter tP is favorably considered, I shall be most willing for the Church to be used for such a meeting, or if preferred try to obtaiu the free use of some other building. —l ara, &q., Fked W. Boyb, Primitive Methodist Mioi^^r.