MEN ON THE ROAD.

Shannon News, 31 January 1928, Page 1

MEN ON THE ROAD.

WOMANFOLK SCAREDABUSED HOSPITALITY

'Hundreds of unemployed men are now living on the country and farmers are being expected to feed them. It is unfair to farmers whose womenfolk, are often insulted by men who demand food in insulting terms. Not one man in ten of the number who call each day at my farm makes his first request one for work)* Ths invariable demand is one for food." Those remarks made by an irate farmer to an Auckland "Sun" reporter, wor- supported by others, who complained with some warmth, that I'ton were persuaded to leave the cities and go into the country for work, such n quest being useless, for the farmer by going to the telephone, could usually obtain the services immediately oi' proved and experienced work-

"Not since I was a boy have there been so many swaggers and other unemployed men living- on the farmers," said one man. "Most of the men who are roaming over the country are not fit for hard harvest work. Some are too old, and many are in poor physical shape through their own excesses. Many of them camp in river beds until moved on by the district constable. Then they simply shift their camp. It is no exaggeration to say that women on farms are terrified by them." . . "That's right," chimed in a companion; "why, only yesterday, when I returned to my house I met two men in the drive. On e demanded to know if I was the boss. He then said that because 113 had been refused food my crops would be burned. It appeared that he had frightened •my ! wife, who would have given him a meal, and she shut the door in his face. I gave him two minutes to get off the place. I.am not exaggerating when I say that farmers* are contiifually being threatened fcy swaggers and are alive to the danger of losing their stacks by fire. We feed numbers each day, and, apart from the cost, which we can ill-afford, it is a strain on the women who have to prepare the meals" Instancing the attitude of men who are claiming a living on the country and farmers, as a right, one farmer isaid that a building on his farm was locked and the windOAVS boarded up. It had been broken into and was nightly occupied by men who strolled about the place in the evening or lounged in the doorway with the attitude of proud proprietors.