HEAD RACE IMMIGRANTS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 297, 6 November 1874, Page 3

HEAD RACE IMMIGRANTS.

We have a little to add to v#hat was published last week in reference to the ramigrants, sent up to the head race. Dealing, as we, did, with 'special- cases (not gathered from rumor, but from obseriwe were saved from, floundering into generalities, easily rendered spicy'and readable, but which might have oeen easily explained away. Being anxious to know what the few who remained on the head rade were doing,' and mistrusting report, from similar observation wo give an idea. As already-has-been stated, the men were not in any. case at the'first of-fered-day work, but were put on piece work. In no case was it possible for a new.hand to make more than 30s. a week; What djd mechanics - and- agricultural laborers.know about the calculation of material to come off and out of a chain along the-side'of a mountain range, to complete a-portion of a race to carry sixtv Government rheads of ! water?' which, when cut, to the eye looks as if it would.float a barge. • £)fcpurso, if they wero told they would get £5 a chain,' they would go at it, and think themselves.hard used, audit" they .were told it-would be 155., they would do .exactly the same. .To get an idea of what they really are able to do, we may take the statement of old hands in the country, who have been at piece "work singly, and in pairs, for one piece varying from three chains to twenty. In no case did they appear to think they would take any more. Working ten hours a day, these men could make about 325. 6d. a week, but then they were single men; and, as one said, ''Very little keeps me." " Why jdo I' stop? " Well, I am my own master, and .don't "care to leave the district." " Yes, I know hard times," said another ; " I have_seen queer shifts in my time,, but I > don't think I ever saw harder than those ne_W- chums hare had. They might have done better than put their tents right in the" wind's eye—but then they did not know better. I suppose I am putting out stuff at 4|d., sd„ and 6d. a yard. I could get anywhere 10d., and have a face on. I have been a long time in the district and don't care to leave it. But it is nobody's fault, for I need not do it unless I like." , . . . Very evident is "it then that mechanics and farm laborers could not make Bs. a day. or anything like it. 30s. a week would average the best of them—very likely a fair wage for their work. ' The contractors clearly could not pay children Bs. a diem, and imsuitablo men' are as useless at mountain race cutting as children ; but, then, why send them there P Out of this 30s. they would have to find food for.their families —bread at Is. a 41b loaf; sugar, Bd. per lb.; meat, of course, and other articles dear in We, say, nothing of the wear and tear of, boots and clothing in such rough work. . In justice to the contractor, we should state that he is employing a few selected men at day labor, at a fair wage, - and we believe is willing to employ as many first-class men as can be got, " -

m6st ; intelligent looking of the new ! ';hands, describing the. : scene where eighty-souls were'turne'd out'of five or six waggons in the snow,, said it was heartbreaking- to - -see' and-hear all the women and children crying in despair:—"When the gaffer" was tor taking the waggons- further- up from the- road, '■ Ve } took the horses headsjiand-s.aid' we would turii the horses round-(which same turning round cos,fc one ■-family.:, £1).".;. .;. ■..,-. " Oh, well! we had plenty to eat corning up, We did not want for tommy "—reminding us of juvenile efforts to stuff unfledged sparrows. with sopped bread, and other dainties, till they died, uthar things

surely .are needed. besides tommy. .At Oamar'u, Palmeratou, and other" places, before immigrants were sent up -for employment, barracks were provided"; and, the further up families wore .sent, humanity should have suggested the propriety of providing better temporary accommodation instead of none at all. A"t the least, if they were sent on any special contractor's demand, whether "Principal " or other, he should have been bound over to put up, before the families left Dunedin (as might have been done in a couple of days), sod huts sufficient to shelter all sent up. We are' not at all sure but what the connection between the overseers and suppliers of provisions needs looking into. 'We find receipted bills reported as being given invariablv as part wages, which, in itself, ■is improper. • We ' had almost forgotten a happy family, or combination of families, in one'■ adults and nine-children, Irish Celts, for the most part understanding no English. They looked itchy but healthy.