The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1906-05-11

Light Though Paying Jobs-Govern-
ment Takes the Man and Places
Him Where He Can at the Least
Secure a FoothoId in Times of
Stress.
On his head was set awry with
careless grace wide-brimmed SOM
brero; his ample calf was tightly girt
with a pigskin Logging that had seen
better days; across his shoulder was
thrown a gunny-sack concealing a
weapon whose handle alone protrud-
ed; in mis- right hand he carried a
trus+ty spear, as he marched with slow
and measured tread from the con-
fines of the city toward the brush
and thicket.
This nomad of the isles was not a
brigand, but simply a New Zealand
er who had fallen On i'll luck, and
was striving to make a stake" again.
No downcast spirit was nis, either,
for he knew that in that Workman's
paradise he could obtain employment
at any time.
Yet, strange to say, no work in his
particular trade was to be had just
then, SO he had applied to the nearest
Government office for employment on
a fall-back job. Hence his peculiar
equipment and mis- jaunty air, as he
started out for the gun field. Arriv-
ing at the railroad station-all the
railroads in New Zealand save one
are owned by the Government-he
presented his pass, and was soon On
his way to the district north of the
Thames peninsula, having received
from the Government an outfit, trans
portation and a months credit for
food at the stcrehouse on the gum
fields.
Ages ago, when great trees grew
beside which the towering Kauris OF
today would have seemed insignifi-
cant, the volcanic isle was even more
luxuriant in it's vegetation than it is
now. Fire ravaged the primeval for
ests again and again, and the sizzling
pines and ironwoods gave up their
Sap, "uCu VI w ulCu Ill q I1koASSA1 Se&sS
ran to the ground and then the loose
topsoil as if seeking refuge from the
raging elements above. Great fields
of this gum are found here and there
throughout the North island, and in
some parts of the South.
The gumdigger selects likely spot,
prcds into the earth for about eight
inches Or so with the spear, until the
point of the blade strikes something
brittle; then down comes the gunny-
sack, the spade is taken out, and the
gum is laid bare. 1t lies in cakes,
about two to five inches thick, and
these are shoveled up, broken Off and
dumped into the sack.
No foreman is there, no whistle or
bell calls the laborer to his daily toll;
it is piecework for everyone, and the
longer one works the more ne earns.
The price of the Kauri gum is fixed
by the government, and averages to
10 cents a pound avoirdupois. A man
can earn SIS day Z ithout overwork-
ing himself.
Long continuance on the gumfield
is discouraged; the MAJ who goes
there does so solely to regain social
and Industrial footing, and, II ne
keeps sober, he never fails to ac-
complish his end.
In spite of the fact that gum
digger, as such, is looked down upon
by the islanders. the freedom OF the
life appeals to a number of Bohemian
spirits from England and one can md
a titled renegade, an Oxford wrangler,
and more tnan one clerk II holy or
ders digging up the Kauri gum for
their existence.
i. Gum-digging is not the only fall
back" occupation in New Zealand.
During the season, wool-running Is IN
vogue. and any man VINO can push a
wheelbarrow may earn his $3.50 to IS
per day running wool from the wharf
sheds to the ships, and dumping 1t in
to the hold, a bale at a time.
Beach-csmbing is hardly fall-back,
but is an employment needing no
special credentials, and the shifting
sands of the ocean ask no questions,
demand no references, but give up
their minute grains Of gold to whose
ever shall gather them. Beach-comb-
ing-that is, washing or panning out
the black sand between ebb AID
food tide-is carried on mainly on the
western shore For twenty years or
more some of these beach-combers
nave toiled for living that at best
can be but small compensation ror
the social ostracism it entails. The
sands of the Southern ocean have not
the wealth of those on the Alaskan
coast, but one must consider the Gil
mate as an all-important element IN
the comparison.
In New South Wales and Victoria
there are mines which are not r1cn
enough in gold to tempt capitalists,
mines that nave been partly worked
ont and the claims of which have re-
verted to the Government. Sucn
claims are a Godsend to the unfortun-
ate city man of Sydney or Melbourne
who has really come down to "haro
man," He can obtain from the Gov
arnment similar concessions to the
gum-diggers of New Zealand and IN
a few weeks can always pan out
enough gold to set MIN on his feet
AGAIN No need is there to fear MS
remaining on these abandoned ree1s.
NINTH at gold-digging on 1all
hack reef is not exactly luxury, out
II is better than poverty, and it pre-
serves to the individual that indie
nendence of spirit that characterlzes
the colonial.
Those are not the only, but the