CAPITAL AND LABOR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 7, 8 January 1872, Page 2

CAPITAL AND LABOR.

The following appeared in the London Times of October 29 : — Quashee and Sambo were two negroes who, in a small fertile island of the West Indies, were able to raise their subsistence from the soil without any more complicated system of agriculture than the mere scratching of the earth with a stick. The former, however, being of a somewhat industrious and ingenious turn, contrived a sort of rude spade, by the help of which he discovered that with an equal amount of labor he was able to turn up twice as much ground as his lessenterprising brother, and, consequently, to obtain twice the quantity of yams or sweet potatoes that he had done before. But, finding that the crop thus obtained was more than he wanted to support himself, or, in fact, could manage to get through, the first thought that occurred to him was to work only a part of the time he had hitherto done, and to take the difference out in sleep. This, however, proved as little satisfactory as eating to excess, and the success of his first attempt at a "machine " suggested to the primitive " capitalist " the idea of amusing himself by the manufacture of a second spade. It was naturally something of an improvement on the first, and Quashee was so delighted with his growing skill that a third aud fourth followed, each a handier and more workmanlike performance than its predecessor. Just at this time Sambo, who had viewed with

much envy the expeditious and effective work performed by the nid of the first spade, slopped on passing by and grazed in silent admiration on the newlyfinished tools that lay on the ground. A bright idea flashed through his mind. If he could only persuade Quashee to lend him one of his spare spades rvhnt a deal of toil he might save himself! But it also occurred to him that this was a case in which some reciprocity would certainly b« looked for. At last his thoughts shaped themselves iu words, "I say, Quashee," he cried, "you are a clever fellow to turn out j those wonderful contrivances. But it's a sad pity you haven't a double stock of For remainder of news see, fourth page. j

arms and bands like our cousin the twoheaded Nightingale ; for, now, what can you do with all those three that you have finished since you made your own ? Suppose you just lend 'era to me and my two brothers." " Well, so I will, Sambo," replied Quashee, " but I must have something for the loan. Look here ; you and your two brothers between you now raise eighteen bushels of yams. If I lend you these spades, you wiil be able to raise six-and-thirty without working an hour more. Come, then, out of every six-and-thirty you must give me a dozen." Sambo clapped hands at once on the bargain, and Ihe spades were brought into use. The Sambo family got four yams for every three they had been able to obtain before the employment of Quashee's "capital;" and Quashee obtained a very handsome return for the use ot that "capital" by the Sambos. So plenaed was he with the result that he determined for the future to give up even spade agriculture j»rjd devote himself to " machine-making." Practice increased his skill in this. He turned out handier spades and at a quicker rate, and Sambo's relations arid friends were delighted to hire them of him as soon as they were made, on the same terms. So things went on for some time to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. But at last Quashee's stock of yams had accumulated to such a point as to become a positive nuisance. He could not manage to consume the tenth part of them in his own family. Fortunately, a vessel happened to touch at the island in want of fresh vegetables, and Quashee was enabled to dispose of his store in exchange for a number of such useful and ornamental articles as struck his fancy. He did not fail, in the first place, to provide himself with a knife, a hatchet, and a saw ; and with the aid of the iron tools the manufacture of spades went on faster than ever, and the stock of yams accumulated at the like rate. Other ships found their way to the little island, and Quashee's imports multiplied. And now a spirit of envy took possession of the little community, owing in great part to the malicious suggestions of two or three old rogues of medicinemen, who lived by trading on the prejudices of the islanders. " See," they said, " the luxury in which th>s capitalist wallows — all of it procured by the labor of your hands. You raised the yams which purchased the top-boots iu which he and his sons strut about; it was the sweat of your brows that bought the peacocks' feathers which those vain hussies, his wife and daughters, stick through their noses, and the l»rd which drips in such profusion from their chignons. It, is a wellknown fact that every daughter he has will bring her husband a whole cask of tallow and go to his wigwam decked out in a necklace of large glass heads ! " The result of the discontent engendered by these arguments seems not yet fully ascertained. Some think that the Sambo clau wiil iu a fit of sullen discontent abstaiu for the future from making use of Quashee's spades, and return to their primitive mode of cultivation by means of a crooked branch of a tree. Others fear that an onslaught will be made upon Quashee's store, and that his spades will be divided among the cultivators. But as this could only be done once, and by it the return to the primitive practice wonld only be deferred for a short time — Quashee being the only spade manufacturer in the island — there seems some hope that reflection will teach the malcontents how, at any rate, in the early stages of advancement, capital and labor are not natural enemies, but on the contrary, the best of friends to each other.

A Yankee in Italy, after a severe tornado, which the people seemed to consider a great thing, declared it was hardly up to the average of daily breezes in Maine, his native State, where the people dare not raise children, except iu sheltered localities, on account of the strenuous character of the zephyrß which play over the hill.*. A Russian journal says: — "The splendour with which the members of the Imperial family travel by railway will be much increased next summer; for several portable silver fountains have been ordered at an establishment in the south of Germany, which, when fitted into the Imperial saloon carriages, and fed by a supply of iced water from a tunk in the roof, will impnrt a luxurious and constant coolness to the atmosphore." What form will Imperial extravagance next take. Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper is probably the only journal in England which has a paper-mill nil to itself. The works cover an area of many acres, and seem to comprise about one third of Sittinsrbourne. In Algeria, Mr. Lloyd owns 180,000 acres on which he grows ihe grass used in the manufacture of paper. He has his own ships for bringing the arass over from Africa. They sail up the Medway and will land their cargoes of grass at his factory jlqoi'B, when the works are completed.

Tiie Cape Standard reports a very successful peformance of Shakespear's "Julius Creaar " by native Kaffir student?. The following sentence, "John quickly extemporized five tow bags," contains all the letters of the alphabet, and. only four of them are used more then once. "By - tiie - Way ! " — A worthy old clergyman in a Scotch towu is very absent minded, and has a short memory. If, is a common habit with him in the pulpit to forget something, and then, after sitting down, to rise up again, and begin his supplementary remarks with the expression, "By- the- way." A few Sundays ago he got half-way through a prayer, when he hesitated, forgot what he was about, and sat down abruptly without closing. Iu a moment or two he rose, and pointiug his finger at the amazed congregation, he said, "Oh! by-the-way — Amen ! " The following is a description of a scene in the Collingwood Borough Council (Melbourne), • — "A rumpus had occured, and the Mayor had dissolved the meeting. He,with several councillors, having retired, ordered the town Clerk to turn off the gas whereby the four obdurate councillors who remained, and a crowd of ratepayers, were left in the dark; but, with a determination which partakes of the heroic, one of the obdurate councillors advanced half-a-crown and candles were procured, nnd, in the gloom of this subdued illumination, a kind of funeral business was conducted, the dramatic effect being completed by several solemn spectators, at the termination of the business taking the candles in their bands, and with much show of pageantry, forming a line through which the councillors marched sadly into the street. The Sydney Morning Herald, of a late date, has the following encouraging account of a trip to New Guinea : — "The schooner Surprise, from New Guinea, hss lately been employed by the London Missionary Society on the coast of New Guinea, where she has been most successful in placing missionary teachers and their families on the main and adjacent islands. Captain Paget informs us that at every place visited, instead of hostility and treachery being shown, as has generally been believed, they experienced nothing but the greatest kindness and hospitality, and all seemed highly pleased at having teachers placed amongst them, and it is evident they are very desirous of having intercourse with Europeans. At Redscar Bay Captain Paget and his chief officer went about 15 miles up the Manoa River, where they had communication with several tribes, and were kindly treated by all ; they seemed a perfectly harmless race of people, and not a single war instrument of any kind was seen amongst them, They were certainly of Malay origin, and it was quite evident that they had never seen white men before, as they gazed with wonder and astonishment at them, and would not believe they were human beiDgs, until they were tfoovincod by thoroughly examiuiag them ; they also seemed most anxious to have further intercourse with them by inviting them to stay; and upon their departure they showed great sorrow ; the women and children crying, and the men following them a long way down the river, waving green bushes and making them presents of sugar-cane, &c. That gold exists, is quite certain, as one of the missionaries had au earthen cooking utensil made a present to him in which several small specks of gold were distinctly seen."