108 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



enough ; but pay honour to skill, and ability, and trustworthi- 

 neas, and labourers will strive after them. Let the beat 

 labourer have the best wages, whether he have a family or not, 

 whether he have any other means of support or not. 

 It is greatly to be desired that our young men should under- 

 stand that it is upon their own exertions they must depend 

 for rising, or even for maintaining their position, and this they 

 will best find out by seeing that it is not the helpless who 

 share our strongest sympathy, but those who are getting on 

 in the world. Payment by the piece where practicable will 

 tend very much to promote good understanding between mas- 

 ter and man, because it recognizes the ability of the labourer, 

 the skilful aud industrious man being duly aad fairly re- 

 warded for his skill and exertions. In letting work by the 

 piece to the regular staff of labourers on the farm, or part of 

 that staff, each should be responsible lor the work done, and 

 each have his full share of the payment. If let to one, he, of 

 course, makes the best bargain with the employer, aud pays 

 as little as he can to those who assist him in performing the 

 work. Thej' are also excluded from intercourse with their 

 superiors, aud are placed under the control of a middle-man, 

 which cannot in any way promote confidence and mutual 

 understanding. In conclusion, Mr. Burnett referred to the 

 custom of giving beer (to the amount of Is. per week) in this 

 ueighbourhood as part wages, and strongly condemned the 

 practice, as bsiug in every respect injurious. The objection 

 that labourers could not be obtained without it was un- 

 founded. Practical experience (he said) has led me to this 

 decision, that the labourer ought to have his wages in money, 

 that he may have the opportunity of spending it on those 

 necessaries of life he has most need of ; and as I belong to 

 that class whose lot it is to earn their bread by the sweat of 

 their brow, I think my opinion is something more than mere 

 theory ; and were I to commence life again, and placed in the 

 same position as I was when I left my father's home, without 

 any dependence or means of support but the labour of my 

 hands, I would not think of asking my employer for beer- 

 nay, I would not barter my services for it, feeling sure that 

 it would not tend to my advantage, nor to impart a good 

 and mutual understanding between the employer and the em- 

 ployed. 



Mr. Drew said: I quite agree with Mr. Burnett that the 

 subject which he has just laid before us is of great importance, 

 and highly desersing our consideration. That there is a want 

 of confidence and a better understanding as regards the rela- 

 tionship existing betiveen agriculturists and their labourers, I 

 am fully convinced, for go where you will, or speak to whom- 

 soever you may, on the subject, you are almost certain to hear 

 complaints of some kind, " that labourers have the last few 

 years retrograded rather than progressed." I am fully per- 

 suaded of thi9, both in the amount of work they do, and the 

 skill and interest shown in performing it; for, on looking 

 back to the time when I first went among my father's labour- 

 ers, how anxious all seemed not to be behind with their neigh- 

 bours, and that their work should be done in a creditable 

 manner ! As soon as the harvest was commenced, with what 

 spirit they set about it ! Esch farmer's labourers vieing with 

 the others, as to who should finish first; on accomplishing 

 which, how hearty and loud was the harvest-home "hallow !" 

 The Ust few years we have seen or heard little of this spirit of 

 emulation. What the cause is, or on which side it lies, is not 

 so easy to determine, or else a remedy might with greater cer- 

 tainty be suggested. A very general cry is the want of edu- 

 cation. Now, I do not think this can bs the only true cause, 

 for we all know educating the labouring class has been for 

 soma time past carried to a much greater extent than was the 

 case twenty-five or thirty years ago. Now let me not be 

 misunderstood. I do not for a moaient wish to say one word 

 against education suitable to their condition in life. On the 

 contrary, I do wish every one were taught to read and write, 

 and also the first four rules of arithmetic, simple and com- 

 pound ; but by all means let the bible be the great aud grand 

 monitor, by which to instruct them. I contend that if a 

 child is taught to read and write, with a little of arithmetic, 

 if he possess gifted or superior ability, he will not rest satisfied, 

 but will use every means to further his improvement. Others 

 recommend our giving a higher rate of wages. Now wages 

 have risen considerably since my recollection, whilst almost 

 all nec2ssaries of life are reduced in price. Still it has not 

 ia the least degree promoted tliat unity and kinij feeling which 



we are anxious to see exist. Hiring fairs (or mops as termed 

 in this neighbourhood) come in for a large share of condemna- 

 tion. They are said to create immorality, revelry, and drunk- 

 enness to a great extent. It; must be remembered that they 

 have existed for a long period, and I do believe the evils said 

 to take place on these occasions are much exaggerated, and 

 they are not so great now as formerly. We also hear com- 

 plaints of a like nature, in places where they are not held. I 

 do not say there is not room for improvement, neither do I see 

 why with perseverance it might not be effected. A system of 

 some kind is in my opinion necessary. The question is how 

 to devise a better. Our friend Mr. Burnett has mentioned 

 register offices. If we could establish an office in every parish, 

 and employers would make it a rule as soon as a labourer left 

 him to send his character, I think it might be managed ; still 

 I am of opinion that, for the purpose of hiring, a certain time 

 and place should be fixed, being a saving of time and confu- 

 sion. As regards sufficient cottage accommodation, I readily 

 and heartily fall in. for I do believe nothing would be more 

 conducive to the well-being and comfort of the labourer, than 

 that he should have a convenient and comfortable home. A great 

 drawback to them, in my opinion, has been the Law of Settle- 

 ment. From false alarm, and fear of having a ruinous in- 

 crease of poor-rates, cottages have been pulled down, driving 

 the labourers to the neceasity of seeking a home in towns 

 and other places, at a distance from their work. My 

 own occupation is badly situated as regards accommo- 

 dation in this way. I find from enquiring that my 

 labourers (averaging them) with the exception of those 

 occupying the cottages on the farm, walk two-and-a-half 

 miles to aud from their work, or five miles a day. This, 

 calculating 300 working days in the year, amounts to 1,500 

 miles in the year ; reckoning thirty miles as a fair day's 

 work (and I think few of us would like to do more), makes 

 their tune of labour fourteen months in the year instead of 

 twelve. I have a man now working for me, who left Mr. 

 Thomas a short time since. He told me he worked for him 

 seven years, the distance to and from he had to walk daily 

 being seven-and-a-half miles. Now, this man in the seven 

 years walked 15,750 miles, or within a trifle of two-thirds 

 the circumference of the globe. These facts and figures 

 ought strongly to impress wpon us the importance of a good 

 supply of labourers immediatelj' on the farm. The question 

 then is, how are we to bring about that confidence and good 

 understanding whic'.i should exist between agriculturists 

 and their labourers? I think Mr. Burnett has in some 

 measure shown us ; for I am of his opinion, that good and 

 sufficient cottage accommodation is one of the greatest 

 means. It would give us a better opportunity of entertain- 

 ing their wants and grievances, and of ameliorating their 

 condition by little acts of kindness. We should also have 

 them a little more under our control. 



Tjie Chairman believed Mr. Thomas had a few years 

 ago tried the system of paying his labourers wholly in 

 money, instead of part in beer; but had since returned 

 to the old mode. Perhaps he would state his reasons for 

 doing so. 



Mr. Thomas said, he was of the same opinion on the 

 question of beer as he had been for some time past. He 

 believed money payment best for the labourer, and most 

 satisfactory to the employer. At the time alluded to by 

 Mr. Holborrow, he mentioned the matter to several of his 

 neighbours, who fell in with his views; but, however, did 

 not back him in trying to amend the abuse. The conse- 

 quence was, a good deal of grumbling and dissatisfaction 

 among his men. It was under these circumstances he 

 thought it right to return to the old system of allowing beer. 

 If all would unite, the change might be effected, but it is 

 not so easj' for one individual to alter a custom of so long 

 standing. He concurred with the remarks that had I'lllen 

 from Mr. Burnett. That gentleman had entered so luUy 

 into the subject, that little remained to be said. He trusted 

 his suggestions would be acted on and he felt greatly 

 obliged to him for the vei^ able manner in which he had 

 brought it before them. 



Colonel KiNGScoTE thought there would be no difficulty 

 in doing away with the beer, if farmers were only determined 

 in the matter. His own labourers had now been v orking 

 eleven years without it, and he believed were n)'.. ;con- 



