Page:The agricultural labourer (Denton).djvu/18

 country air in securing the health and strength of the labourer and his family, though all these have a money value which should be considered I may here state that for several years past I have adopted the weekly wage of 20s. as the basis of payment to the able-bodied labourers employed by the General Land Drainage Company when away from their homes during the draining season, at which time the number has frequently exceeded 1500. The system adopted when going into fresh districts is to make the earnings of a few good practised hands, of medium capability, who follow the company's foremen wherever they go, the data for paying all other hands. The weekly work of a good gang of drainers will, if divided, give to each hand as much as from 30 to 40 rods of digging, and the price per rod will be fixed by the foreman at such an amount as to apportion to the standard men from 16s. to 22s. a week, according to the length of the day, after paying for the repair of tools. While these figures are the wages of standard workmen of average capability, the local labourers, at the commencement of the work, will seldom earn more than from 10s. to 12s. The best hands will probably be gaining at the same time from 20s. to 24s. Of course this is to be expected, and the statement is only apposite to the present inquiry, when I add the fact that, whenever a turn-out or a strike takes place, it is invariably found to have its origin in the local men, and there are many kindly disposed persons who take their part, though the result invariably shows that by perseverance they can, after a time, make as good wages as the older standard and best hands. With this knowledge it will be understood with what dismay I look upon the proposal of unions (see Appendix I.) which can only maintain inferior work at an