LIVING IN TENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2575, 3 May 1923, Page 3

LIVING IN TENTS.

TWO REMARKABLE RECORDS

Old Identity writes: —“In reference to a statement made at a public meeting recently by a candidate for local municipal honours, about some people being compelled to live in tents, the following may interest him. Some 45 to 50 years ago a family came to settle in Foxton. They pitched tents on the site now occupied by the Bowling Club. Ihe family consisted of eight persons, which was afterwards increased to 12 or 13, eleven of whom are still

alive. The mother subsequently built the house and also the chimney herself in Union Street. This woman cut me many cords of 2ft. rata at 12/- to 15/- per cord. Today she is still alive and has reached the age of between SO and 00 years and enjoys good health. Some do years ago, my eldest brother married her eldest daughter and through an accident the husband was killed and left his widow with six young children. No subscription was got up on her behalf and she worked and brought up the family off her own bat. To-day she is a grandmother and is alive and well and living near Shannon and I think she could beat the candidate who talked about living in tents now at the age of 62 years, in ploughing, fencing, bulling a chimney, laying concrete or milking 45 to 50 cows at one sitting. The trouble about Hie rising generation to-day is that they want too much spoonfeeding and. too much done for them by others, instead of doing for themselves.”