TO THE EDITOR.

Patea Mail, 22 July 1880, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR.

WORKING MAN’S PROTEST. Sir, —Enclosed is an extract from this day’s Chronicle re “Men Wanted inPatea,” and notifying that our paternal Government are sending 100 men to take the bread out of the mouths of those already here. I can answer for myself and many others who came with me months ago, unaided (in hopes of bettering ourselves) that there are any amount of unemployed in this district who have for some time past existed on the prospect of employment from railway, harbour, and other works. These works are all let by tender. Allow me to ask you : Is it in the interest of the contractor this is done, that the current wages may be lowered, or to relieve the Government, at the expense of the working man from the incubus of their own creating ? Surely some consideration is due to those who try to Jive without the pale of pauperism.—l am, &c., A Working-Man. Patea, 20tli.

WAVERLEY TOWN RESERVES. Sir, —In your issue of the 20th I see a letter signed J. Cauldwell, asking questions regarding the reserve handed over to the care of the Town Board. I should like to know if the Government Engineer offered a direct line of road from the Railway Station to the main road, whether the Town Board is not to accept it, but is to repair the Cemetery-road ; the reason being too evident, if it can be called a reason, that while very convenient for traffic, the new road would take a great deal of it away from our end of the town. Fairplay. Waverley, July 21st.