FARM CADETS—REPLY TO MR. MYNOTT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 94, 30 April 1900, Page 3

FARM CADETS—REPLY TO MR. MYNOTT.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib, —Mr. Mynott used to be the champion for our farmers, but has given them up on account of their ingratitude, so has now taken the working man under his wing and is his champion. I have in the last twenty-five years given a good deal of employment directly to working men, atid I do not think even Mr. Mynott can find one who will say I have either been a driver or one to cut wages down. I always pay top wages. Now, as soon as a party of mine arrive the wharf labourer gets taken on for an hour or so more, as there is more

stuff to land than there otherwise would be, and for ever after what that party consumes or produces will have to go or come through the wharf, thereby improving the wharf labourers chance of work. When the party get to the station they have to get an express—that gives another class of 1 ibour employment. Then they go to a boarding-house, and there again labour is paid, as it gives work to the servants, and the gardens, butcher, and baker all get a turn. Then a far- j mer says, " I cannot take a lad till I get a room up or something done to it," and that causes employment. If Mr. Mynott really and honestly bad t! e working man's interest at heart be would have gone Home himself and done work I am doing, because by bringing out families such as many who have come directly through my work I have given labour to in some cises large numbers of bu.shmen, in other c ses to carpenters. lam not free to g've names in the paper, but Mr. M ■■ ott would be quite surprised if ': ;i ka.'w from firs; to iast the amount '.';' Coital that has come into c iyt." .•'

through my work, and that will continue to come. How many who have come out through me are now on theii own or on rented land, enabling the I person they bought or rented out to go further back and employ labour to clear more land ?—As Mr. Mynott is personal enough to quote my charges, ' I ask any sane man which is in proportion the most moderate charge, £3 3s for one who can show £BO 5s of his own money having been spent in advertising in English, Irish, . and Scotch newspapers on his last trip, and £SO to the New Zealand Shipping Co.; also, I pay my passage Home and living, and having English travelling expenses and 15s a week for office. Mr. M. does not pay that amount, and I guarantee to place in writing that I have often had to jpay from one up to even in one case six weeks' board and lodgings before I got a place for cadets. Mr. M. charges 5s and has nominal expenses, and I notice does not give any guarantee. As he is personal

enough to refer to the only one at £ls 15s, allow me to inform Mr. M. that if that gentlemen wanted to get the knowledge of farming at Home he would pay the same money as he is doing now, namely, £ls 15sforaquarter, and is it not better for a man like Mr. M. and for the working men of Taranaki that I should induce such a gentleman to come to the colony as the one referred to, as he will shortly take up a large property and give employment to others ? When I left for England I thought I had more of a friend than an enemy in Mr. M., but when I returned I waß toM plainly of things he had dons towards my work that proved, though he professes to be a Christian, yet no Atheist would stoop to do by me as he has done, namely, to try and divert people from going to places I had sent them to, and I am told on the best ef authority that he is writing to English papers against my work, thereby trying to prevent the wharf and express men and others getting a chance of an extra job,—l am, etc. W. Couktney. [P.S. —I say fearlessly that any one at Home who has a dislike to office work and wishes to go on the land has a far and away better chance in New Zealand than in England and better here than anywhere 6lse in New Zealand, as proved by the number of colonists in all parts of New Zealand who sell out in order to invest in Taranaki, undoubtedly the garden of New Zealand.]