It May Be Said That The Advantage Offered To
The Cadet, In Allowing Him An Insight Into Colonial Life, Is A Bona-Fide
Payment For What Work He May Do.
This is not the case; for where labour
is so very valuable, a good man is in such high demand that he may find
well-paid employment directly.
When a man takes a cadet's billet it is
a tolerably sure symptom that he means half-and-half work, in which case
he is much worse than useless. There is, however, another alternative
which is a very different matter. Let a man pay not only for his board
and lodging, but a good premium likewise, for the insight that he
obtains into up-country life, then he is at liberty to work or not as he
chooses; the station-hands cannot look down upon him, as they do upon
the other cadet, neither, if he chooses to do nothing (which is far less
likely if he is on this footing than on the other), is his example
pernicious - it is well understood that he pays for the privilege of
idleness, and has a perfect right to use it if he sees fit. I need not
say that this last arrangement is only calculated for those who come out
with money; those who have none should look out for the first employment
which they feel themselves calculated for, and go in for it at once.
You may ask, What is the opening here for young men of good birth and
breeding, who have nothing but health and strength and energy for their
capital? I would answer, Nothing very brilliant, still, they may be
pretty sure of getting a shepherd's billet somewhere up-country, if they
are known to be trustworthy. If they sustain this character, they will
soon make friends, and find no great difficulty, after the lapse of a
year or two, in getting an overseer's place, with from 100 to 200 pounds
a year, and their board and lodging. They will find plenty of good
investments for the small sums which they may be able to lay by, and if
they are bona-fide smart men, some situation is quite sure to turn up by
and by in which they may better themselves. In fact, they are quite
sure to do well in time; but time is necessary here, as well as in other
places. True, less time may do here, and true also that there are more
openings; but it may be questioned whether good, safe, ready-witted men
will not fetch nearly as high a price in England as in any part of the
world. So that if a young and friendless lad lands here and makes his
way and does well, the chances are that he would have done well also had
he remained at home. If he has money the case is entirely changed; he
can invest it far more profitably here than in England. Any merchant
will give him 10 per cent.
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