THE YEOMAN.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 51, 23 December 1867, Page 4

THE YEOMAN.

We extract the following paragraph from that very excellent journal the “ Australasian” —A journal second to none ,in the colonies for general information: — HARVEST LABOUR. A correspondent of the above journal writes as follows, and has this letter is somewhat applicable at the present time, it will be read with interest. I have invariably found that a man who had becnj always accustomed to poor living is the first'to grumble if he is not provided with milk, butter, water melons, &c. A man last harvest told me he would not stand it any longer, and would leave. I asked him what was the matter. He told me that the tea was too strong, which was soon corrected, and he said no more. He was a good worker; but such childish things will take place. We did give the men fou r ° r five nobblers a day, but have not done so for the last two or three years. It caused the m to be discontented and very troublesome, leaving work and going to the shanties to get more, bringing a bottle back which would start some of the others. Again, if a grumbler is in the lot, the best way is to get rid of him if bands are scarce; more work will be' done without him, and far more comfortably. Some farmers have not the slightest idea of how to treat a man, If he is ill) they would pay him off and get him out of the place sooner than give him medicine, and would think it very impudent for a man to ask for any; and not give them any meals on Christmas Day if they won’t work. In fact I should never stop writing if I were to give you all the sensible incidents which have taken place. Moral. —Farming scarcely pays at the present high rate of wages, and so few hands to do all the labour required, so that if we do not make the most of these, we will have no chance at all. COLONIAL ENTERPRISE. The following article reprinted from the “ F.Z. Herald ” is well worthy of perusal, What is at present the cause of the almost stagnation of trade in Wellington ? It produces little, no steps are taken to compete with the home market, and the money raised in the province is sent to England for what might, with a little enterprise be kept in the colony:— A short while since we drew attention to the very beautiful lambskin mats, either white or coloured, which are dressed by Mr Fleming, of Union-street, Freeman’s Bay, and at a cost considerably less than that of the imported article. Yesterday we had our attention drawn to the manufacture by Mr Gittos, of Wyndhamstreet, of sheepskins as leather suitable for the use of upholsterers, or, as such skins are termed by the trade, as “ roans.” These skins are dressed quite equal to any that can be imported from home, and are stained or dyed to any colour, and they, too, possess the very great advantage of being able to be sold in Auckland at some 30 per cent, less than can be imported skins. Mr Gittos, has. we understand, an order at the present time for a quantity of them to cover surniture now being made, or renewed, for the occasion of the Prince’s visit at Government House, and, generally, there must be a large consumption by upholsterers of this article, as covering for chair seats, for conches; &c. These skins are a cheap substitute for: morocco, and are at the same time quite enduring, and, cheap as they can be manufactured in Auckland, ought to banish altogether the cheap, and nasty substitute known as “ American leather cloth.” Gradually, first one way, and than another we are learning to work up the raw material we have been too long in the habit of wasting. By using these home manufactured articles the consuming public not only save in their expenditure, but by the outlay of a less sum, do far more benefit to trade than they did in giving a third more money for imported goods The five shillings spent on a home dressed skin is five shillings spent in the province, the seven and sixpence spent on an imported one is seven and sixpence, less the importer’s profit, spent in England. We shall never become a really prosperous community until we import less and manufacture more largely. Three fourths of the clothes we put on, the boots we wear, the furniture we use, ought to be manufactured from Few Zealand material and by Few Zealand men. It was thus that the American colonists grew so rapidly into a wealthy manfacturing country. A sense of patriotism first led them to refuse all British manufactured goods, and then they soon found out that they could produce their own goods and save money by doing sol As the beginning of a system which will, we feel convinced, daily gather strength in this colony, we hail ! the efforts of such tradesmen as Mr Gittos, Mr Fleming, and others, as not only worthy of public notice, but as deserving the support of every one of us who has the interests of Auckland and of Few Zealand at heart.”