The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2208, 2 September 1886, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Fqudl and exact justice to all men, Oi whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political.

TUURSDA V, SEPT. 2, 1886.

Wh are rapidly in Kew Zealand (joining face to race with the problem which dw.ut's all others in older countries, the normal presence in our midst of destitution. For tunately for us this destitution is not here intensified by the sharp contrast of enormous wealth. We may therefore reasonably look forward to its discussion and possible solution with less heat and prejudice than at Home. We, in this province, are just awaking to the importance 01 the question ; hitherto \v j tin contented ouradvi with ascribing the cry of the uiiem-

ployed in Dunedin.ind Ohristchurch to a peculiar appetite in the South for (Jovernment expenditure, and peculiar facilities for gratifying such appetite. Now we are face to face with the unemployed durselvcs, and by the Charitable Aid system we find the colony if not in possession, at any rate within measurable distance, of a Poor Law. It may be true that "we always have" (shall is often here inserted) u the poor with us," but it would certainly be a curious result of civilisation to have the pauper also. In attempting a problem of such •\ complex nature as the explanation of destitution, it may be well to start with a survey of the conditions which, in the Old Country, have promoted, if not caused, the appalling destitution now there prevalent. Conditions here and there are of course not identical ; yet we may find in the course of our survey that they are not so absolutely contrasted as is often assumed. We have records in England of the prices of food from the middle of the 14th, and of money wages from the middle of the 15th, century. Both are of course necessary to estimate the real wages received by the farm labourer or the artisan. At the later period villeinage, which had long been slowly dying out, was practically killed, and the hired labourer took the place of the villein, mainly owing to the successive visitations of the plague, or " Black Death," which, at a moderate estimate, reduced the population by one-third. The natural result of the consequent scarcity of labour was a large rise in its price. True, the parliament of employers endeavoured, by repeated " Statutes of Labourers," backed up by royal proclamations, to maintain the old rates, but, though the struggle lasted for two centuries, it was utterly fruitless, as proved by actual manorial balance-sheets. Taking for instance the fifty years, 1350-1400, the average rise of harvest wages, leaving out a famine which would make it greater, is 591 per cent, ranging from 44 to 69." Mowing grass rises 34 per cent., a low percentage explained by the fact that in the absence of root crops the hay harvest came at a slack period for the farm labourer; carpenters, masons, sawyers, and tilers gain from 42 to 70 per cent. It is a notable fact that the mason?, -who possessed a strong trade organisation or guild, benefited most by the rise with the exception of tilers. On the whole the price of agricultural labour rises for men 50, for women 100 per cent., and artisans' wages in the same proportion. It must be noticed too, that while all agricultural produce remains at the old figures, thus giving the labourer the full benefit of the rise in Tmoney wages, everything to which labour gives its principal value rises proportionately or more. Thus all farm implements rise from 100 to 200 per cent, in cost. One article of food is dearer, confirming this remark, as it owed its value almost entirely to labour; we allude to herrings, white or red, that is, salt or smoked, which doubled in price. If, then, wages rose and all farming requisites were from two to three times dearer, while the prices of produce remained stationary, who bore the consequent loss in ', farming profits? We have here again documentary evidence that the landlord lowered his rents, or farming himself largely, as he did as a general rule, had to put up with reduced- interest on the capital invested. A manorial balance-sheet of 1332-3 shows a profit on actual farming, excluding, rents of 18 per cent. ; the return on the same manor for 1350-1, immediately after the first visitation of the Black Death, is only 4 per cent. The absence of any rise in the price of food is probably due partly to the competition with capitalist, landlordfarmers of peasant farmers, whose copyright tenure had all the effect of a permanent lease in protecting them from a rise in rent. In fact, as we have said, their rents fell. We may look upon the fifteenth century and the first quarter of the sixteenth as the golden age of labour in England, comparing money wages with food prices. At no other time have wages been relatively so high and food so cheap. It has been suggested with high probability that the high wages of the farm labourer were largely clue to the fact that he invariably, or nearly so, farmed acres of his own and was therefore independent. The average for the period 1400-15-10 was 4d a day for the farm labourers, with 6d in harvest, and, as appears probable, an eight-hour day, while the artisan got about 6d. Wheat from 1260 to 1400 averaged 5s 10 : |d the quarter; from 1400 to 1540 5s ll : jd, or, omitting the last 20 years, 5s B : jd. In addition to these wages food was often, by large employers almost invariably, supplied, in addition, a conclusive proof, if proof were wanted, of its cheapness. Board was generally reckoned at 6d to 8d a week, though in some cases it rises to 9d, Is and Is 2d. It must be remembered that this rise of wages was in the teetk of the efforts' of King and Parliament, repeated unto seventy times seven, to keep wages at the rates prevailing before the pestilence. It may !>e°useful to peruse the first of these Acts, passed in 1349 and not repealed till 16G3. No person under 00, whether serf or free, could refuse work at the old wages, unless he were merchant or artisan, occupied land, or had private means. Declining to so work is punished by imprisonment ; employers paying more are liable to a treble penalty, and any excess so paid goes to the King. Artisans in most, if not all trades, arc included under another clause. How such stringent provisions failed of effect we shall see m our next, when we deal with sub-

sequent attempts of the same nature, whjeh' met with far greater success. The period we have readied, as the end of the golden age of Er.glisli labour, is a convenient haltingplace for the present, but we may notice en, passant four changes af Footing labour which took their rise in the 15th century, though not generally noticed till later. .These are the rise of the capitalist artisan ; tho change from tillage to sheepraising ; the import of wheat and rye from the Baltic ; and last, but not least, the enclosure of commons.

Chairmen of town boards would do well to hoar in mmd that, in terms of the Act ot 1883, the whole of the members of the board go out of office on the 15th inst. i ,

The charge of larceny of weighbridge tickets against Casey and Short was dismissed at the R.M. Court, Auckland, on Tuesday, but the accused were remanded on the graver charge of forging tickets.

The Cambridge Cheese and Bacon Factory will commence operations on the first of October, and all intending suppliers are requested by advertisement to communicate with Mr Geo. Watt, manager, or Mr J. P. Thomson, secretary. The company also advertise for tenders for a supply of Taupiri coal.

Tne Hamilton Choral Society are evidently thoioughly in earnest in preparing for their promised car^l concert at Christmas - tide. Notwithstanding the wretched weather on Tuesday evening, there was a Rood muster of forty-eight members, inclusive of the orchestra, and sutne excellent work was done.

In the report of the meeting of Mr Uwynneth's supporters published in our last Issue, it was made to appear that Mr Kincaid moved the first resolution, whereas it was Mr T. B. Lewis, Mr Kincaid being the seconder. The error was a typographical one, and we hasten to correct it. I

The nomination of candidates to fill three vacancies in the Hamilton Borough Council takes place to-day. The retiring councillors are Messrs Barton, Tippen, and Philip, and the two former are again candidates. In addition, Me3srs Yon Stunner i and Parr will be nominated. The latter j publishes an address to the burgesses, which will be found in another column.

A football match was played at Oxford on Saturday last between Oxford and Tapapa. The game was a rough one, and the Tapapa team, which consisted of thirteen natives and two Europeans who are building the native school there, proved two strong for their antagonists, winning the game by a goal and a try to a try obtained by Oxford. Messrs J. Harrison and J. N. Miller umpired for Tapapa and Oxford, respectively.

A meeting of the Huntly Football Club was held on Monday night. A letter was read from the Hamilton Club, stating that they would play here next Saturday, and the following team was selected to play for Huntly :— Full-back, McNeil; three-quarter-backs, C. Smith and Carmichael; half-backs, Ralph, Luke, and Boswell; forwards, Otway, Stokes, Hammond, Simpson, H. Smith, Richard I*, Harris, Harlock, and Bailey; emergencies, Turner and McNeil.

The gross proceeds of the entertainment " Our Boys," in aid of S. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Cambridge, amounted to £!(> 12*, and the etponscs to £S 2s Gd, leaving a balance of £8 ite (id. We are desired by Father Fox to convey his sincere thankb to the ladies and gentlemen who took part in the performance. " Our Boys" will be repeated on Tuesday evening in the Oddfellows' Hall, Hamilton, in aid of the fund for fencing S. Peter's Parsonage, Hamilton.

We are glad to see that Government are making a start in forest planting in the Waikato. Prof. Kirk is at present inspecting the Waerenga block near Rangiriri, with a view to employing some of those out of work in Auokland. A goodly number are preparod to take advantage of the offer, and operations will commence very shortly. Mr Moss deserves credit for suggesting, and the Government for so promptly adopting, such a practical form of relief.

A meeting of the Pukekura Road Board was held on the 28th ult., when tenders were opened as follows :—Contract No. 1, Ranches road : Thos. Cowjey, £14 .js lump sum ; James Lawton, £(5 5s ; P. McCallum, £3 10s (accepted); Tornwald, 4^d per yard. Contract No. 2 :—Norrish and Hughes, cleaning ditch and wattling sides, £2; widening swamp road, 4}d per cubic yard; formation, 4s (id per chain. James Lawton, cleaning ditch and wattliner, £1; formation, 3s per chain ; widening: swamp road, od per yard. Richard Norrish (accepted.)

The Berlin Piano Importing Company have initiated a novel method of disposing of their music, which a reference to the advertisement will make clear. To all fending a coupon cut out of this paper the company will send a copy of one of their popular songs with price list, &c, post free. The company, for which Mr W. H. Webbe, the now well-known composer, is the Auckland agent, have forwarded to this office a number of selections, including "My Love. I lovethee best," " Madaleiue," the "Bell" polka, "My Love," vocal valse.'&c, which are well worthy a place in every musical home. We heartily oommend the company's advertisement to the notice of our younger readers.

Mr William Cussen, who broke his leg at Titiraupensra. near Taupu, on Saturday, arrived at Hamilton by the afternoon train from Lichfield yesterday. Mr Cussen had attended to his injuries himself, placing splints on his leg, and got his attendants to construct a. stretcher upon which he was carried to Lichfield. On Sunday he attempted to ride a horse, but found that his injuries were to serious to allow of that. Dr. Waddington met the patient at Lichfield yestei day mornincr, but decided to postpone setting the limb until Mr Cussen arrived in Hamilton, and the stretcher being slung in a railway van very little jolting was experienced. Assisted by i>r. Carey, Dr. Waddington successfully set the broken limb yesterday afternoon, and the patient, though much shaken, is progressing favourably.

We learn that Mr F. Allen, lately in charge of the Tauwharo Cheese Factory is about to sever his connection with the Waikato Land Association, and intends to take a trip through Australia and the United States of America, to thoroughly study up tho art of cheeso and butter - making. In New South Wales a number of butter factories have of late been started and are giving great satisfaction. It is Mr Allens intention to put in a few months at some of these factories, also to do the same with the cheese factories in America, He hopes again to return to the colonies in the course of a year or so, and the experience he expects to bring with him should be of profit to himself and benefit to the country generally. Wo wish Mr Allen every success in his proposed trip, and a speedy return to this district.

The usual monthly meeting of the Waitoa Road Board was held last Satnrday. Present: Messrs W. P. Chepmell (chairman), H. Burnett and J. Horrell. The making of the rate had to bo put off again in consequence of the roll for native lands not having been received.—The engineer reported that Johnson's Creek extension drain contract is now completed, and is a first-rate job.—The following tendeiY) were received for the contract on the Maungakawa-Waiorongomai Road, east of the Waitoa River:— Collins and Co., £79 19s 2d (accepted); P. Dillon, £131 4s ; Ho^an and McLeod, £204 lG.s Gd ; Maidens and Saunder.s, £159 7s 9d; Collett and Tliaxter, £10118s; J. OBrien, £100; N. Mikkelsen, £10.">.— The balance of the subsidy under the Local Bodies' Finance mid Powers Act, 1885, has been received, amounting to £02 10s.—Accounts amounting to £8110s lOd were passed for payment.

Our Tauwhare correspondent writes:—Mr Allen, manager of the Tauwharo Cheese Factory, has resigned his position and is leaving the colony. The Tauwhare Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association, will loso in him a valuable member. Ho was tho promoter of the association and its president. During his stay amongst us, he has always been to the front in furthering objects for the good of the district. His departure will also be a loss to the Sunday-school, in which institution he took a lively interest whilo living in Tauwhare. lam not awaro that Mr Allen has made a single enemy. Every one has a good word for him and expresses regret that he is leaving us. Wo take this

opportunity of thanking him for hi« practical intorest in the distiict, and of wishing him success in the future.

The standard examination at the Hamilton East Hchool commenced yesterday, and will bo continued to-day. The examination at the West school will commence to-morrow. Mr VV. Fidler, inspector, is conducting the examipatyn.

At the meeting of those interested in getting up the Fancy Fair in connection with S. Peter's, Hamilton, held in the Public Hall, Hamilton, last night, tho proposed programme as arranged by Mr Swarbrick was thoroughly discussed and the suggestions as to tho carrying out of tho details were considered, and met with the hearty approval of those present. It was decided that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 27th to 20th, should be fixed upon as the date for carrying out the show. On the Monday it way arranged that a procession of children with a May-pole dance, should open the proceedings, the evening to be devoted to a dramatic performance. On the Tuesday after the Boxing-day sports, a concert, under the direction of Mr Templer, will bo the feature, and Wednesday will be taken up with a children's pantornine in the afternoon, to be followed by a lime-light entertainment, which Mr Reid has kindly consented to provide, to conclude with tableaux vivants, in which it is intended that all those ladies having the greatest olaims for personal charms and attraction shall be pressed to take part. Judging from the enthusiasm displayed by those present last evening, the promoters are to be congratulated upon the class of entertainments proposed, which from their novelty will certainly draw large attendances from all parts oi the district, and will be the means of making the Fair a financial success.