i7 6 Australian Life 



In this respect, the lot of those in the lower 

 grades of the official class, and of the ordinary 

 clerk, is perhaps less to be envied than that of any 

 other class in Australian society. The incidence 

 of the Australian protective tariff, and the high 

 scale of professional fees of all kinds, make any 

 attempt at keeping up appearance one long 

 struggle. The working-man, who is more 

 highly paid than the clerk and the subordinate 

 public servant, is much better off, and, by frankly 

 disregarding the distinctions these others must 

 observe, can obtain a far greater share of the 

 desirable things of Australian life. Owing to 

 the heavy protective duty on clothing of all 

 kinds, the clerk and the shop-assistant are, in 

 proportion to their earnings, the most heavily 

 taxed classes in the whole Australian com- 

 munity, although the higher rates of remunera- 

 tion obtained in other employment do not hold in 

 these occupations. 



As for the working-man, he is little troubled by 

 social distinctions of any kind. His relations 

 with his employer do not call for any show of 

 deference, his political representatives see that 

 his necessities shall not contribute too largely to 

 the revenue, and his main concerns are family 

 affairs, politics, and sports. His interest in poli- 

 tics occasionally brings him into touch with the 

 movements of "society," after a fashion that 

 rouses a curious resentment in him. It will be 

 difficult for any one who has never lived in A us- 



