WORSE THAN SLAVERY.

NZ Truth, Issue 137, 1 February 1908, Page 4

WORSE THAN SLAVERY.

GEO. PHILLIPS' CHEAP HANDY MAN. He -Toiled from Morn Till Eve For a Few Bob, Tucker and Old Clothes.

A sordid tale of an almost | Unbelievable character reaches the ears of "Truth's" Christchurch representative, and concerns a case of sweating m its grossest and most glaring form. Employers of the Dominion are kicking against what they term the arrogant and ' unjust demands of a pampered labor crowd ; they fight the demands of a hitherto unequally paid class at every turn, and get their bristles up at even mention of a rise by anyone m their employ. They would like them to work for next to nothing, /but, of course, that's impossible. But a Christchurchian m the person of George Phillips had the greatest of luck m this respect not long ago, when he secured the services of a young, man of about 22 years of age for' eight solid months, during which time he got his tucker and bed arid cast-off clothes now and again— that was all. -And when he. left the whole of the money he received amounted to 16s, nothing less. Talk about sweating ! why, that word m tho ordinary. acceptation of the term is really nothing when compared to the treatment which this fellow George Phillips is alleged to have served out to his erst employee ; for the young man took his hoolewhen he began TO READ ABOUT THINGS and get more enlightened as to the relative value of matters, and what he was really worth to Ms greedy, mercenary employer. ' It might be here stated that it is about three months since employer and employee parted, but it isn't too late to set on record the facts m connection with this miserable case: Charles Hapgood, the employee m question, is like many another grafter knocking about, a bit soft ; of 'a timid nature ; and would rather run a mile than have an argument or. demand his just rights. One of . the free and easy* sort, who are domineered the world over by individuals of greater will/ power. Well, according to Hapgood, , he agreed to work for Phil- 1 lips for 7s Cd a week and found,/ which was far too small,, but . the young fellow thought it good enough until something better happened along. Phillips has five or six sections at Ljnwood up thlp Worcesterstreet extension way ; ajid when he procured .the* property it was just one big hole— a gaping , orifice that disfigured Linwood North and appeared to be marked out on the borough map for ■■ a lake m "which model yachts could be taught to swim. This big depression Hapgood .was set to fill up, and when., he wasn't doing that he .was doing rouseabout work at the ihouse because there was nothing else to do. It is different hist now, because . Phillips renounced bachelorship with a great renounce and took unto himself a wife. With a barrow and a shovel the unfortunate slave worked from early m the morning until night, and after; for this writer is credibly informed that the grafter has been seen out working at something or other with a lantern when the burglar and the dog thief were abroad, and most people were ' talcing rest. Also, he has been observed out with his barrow—his eternal one-wheel mudoarrying. bike~-at as early an hour as four o'clock m the morning. Now. that is far top devilish strong, and no self-respecting man with an atom of conscience would ask a person to MAKE A BULLOCK OF HIMSELF. Yet this fellow,.! Phillips, had the brassy impudence to dp so. Now, pushing a laden barrow over rough ground such as this was for goodness knows how many hours is a job that would flatten out the strongest hearted before he had got near' through the contract, and he d want mighty good pay for his work, including overtime ; but the slave filled m all those sections and / levelled them, and left them fair to look upon.- His roundabout duties he looked upon as a sort of -side line. And did Phillips pay the chap, 7s 6d a week as was agreed upon ? No ; nary a damn cent. He merely gave him some of his old clo now and again, and thought he was doing a great stroke m being able to keep so valuable a man merely for his grub and a doss. In fact, he besought him to work with all the pertinacity of a thriving pig m a potato patch. It is the most disreputable, piece of imposition that .was ever heard of. Fancy vile slavery like that being existent m a place like Christchurch, which is so full of unions and leagues and whatnot established for the avowed purpose of ameliorating the . condition of the oppressed and the lower classes, that one cannot walk down the street without treading on one of their rules. Of course, readers will say that Hapgood was no end of an ass to work eight months without bracing up to the boss and asking for back money, or some money at all events; but, as before mentioned, he was of such a soft disposition that he didn't care to, and had a vague idea that all would be right some day— a day that never came. People who live m the vicinity, and people who r.onstantlv passed by, were eontimlal]y remarking about the thorough, deadly earnest way m which the chap did his toil. No matter what time I they went bj r , he still appeared, and even the morning • newspaper runner, who is a very early bird indeed, couldn't help but pass-ing a few choice observations about the scrubber who bossedj and the damphoolishness of the man who complied. Well, even a damned silly Chinaman fresh from the asylum wouldn't have dreamt of doing it, Why, filling those sections alone must have saved the owner over a hundred quid. Well, there is a time "When EVEN THE WORM TURNS, and that's what happened with Hapgood. He intimated that he wanted a squaring up, and he "-ot it— after a fashion. Even at the beastly and astounding low wage of 7s 6d 'and found), he would have been entitled to over twelve quid, but what did he get ? Hapgood alleges that he was given some more cast-eft do and IPs. r ~ naturally asked for the balanco,

and was abruptly told that he wasn't worth any more, and that, m any case, he was only taken m out of charity? Nothing happened, for a wonder,' and probably Phillips knew nothing would. He sought to x bounce him off the premises, and eventually did so ; for too long had he studied his mental capacity, and believed that he could do what he liked with him. And he did, but had the victim taken tire slave driver to court, he would have got something m addition to sixteen bob and a drab coat that had seen its best days, Again and again he was urged by people /at Linwood, to issue a summons against the peculiarly constituted, brass-bound boodler who would make a hive of bees do double work if he only had the power. But Hapgood was scared about going to Co.urt, anything rather than that ; so he lost his good money. Inexpressibly foolish, of course, but these things do happen . A practical : gardener living out Linwood way, who gets eight bob a day, was asked one day by his temporary employer how* much, Hapgood was worth. ''Well, I don't think he is up to my standard of competency," he replied, "but ho is worth at least six shillings a day— of eight hours." Ah. yes; 'of eight hours ; but how many hours a day did' he work ? It may be here mentioned that a I.inwood resident actually went to the Department of Labor about the matter, but the reply was that nothing could be done, as there was no Act .under which proceedings could be taken. This will no doubt be news to Phillips, who may now hear of it for the first time. Phillips, who seems to be a jack-of-all-trades from what can be gleaned, is a chap who makes a good first impression on you, but you damned soon find huh out. Thsre is always A SMILE ON HIS PHIZ, but it's a mirthless sort of smile, and is only good for photographic purposes. Now, what sort of oil ought grasping persons, guilty of such gross imposition be boiled m ? Hard to say. Perhaps steeping them m a mud geyser would be a, »«r« suitable method of treatment. I■i . ~ .