The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1909. THE ARGENTINE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2605, 13 September 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1909. THE ARGENTINE.

In view of the important part which the Argentine plays a® a competitor in the meat export trade any authoritative information concerning that country must be of special interest to New Zealanders. Quite recently Mr. R. E. N. Twopenny, one of the proprietors of the Pastoralists’ Review, paid a visit to the great South American Republic, and his impressions are particularly interesting. Mr Twopenny commences by giving an excellent description of Buenos Aires, the chief city of the Argentine. It is much larger than either Melbourne or Sydney but, according to the visitor, the conditions of life are unattractive to a colonial. To use his own words:—* Over and beyond the main drawback of having to live amongst foreigners and put up with foreign manners and customs, the city is so crowded as to be inconvenient and noisy, the facilities for outdoor amusements are inferior, the cost of living is higher than in Australia, and, above all, /.with *a climate which is a mixture of Sydney and Riverina, ( there is no hill country to escape to in hot weather, and the nearest seaside resort is a night’s journey off. The overcrowded condition of the narrow streets was brought home to me the day after my arrival, when I was, knocked down by the cowcatcher of a fafit-moving tram in trying to get past the block on the pavement by stepping into the street. I don’t know that it is much consolation to find in the municipal reports that there! were 1074 accidents and 3199 collisions in the streets of Buenos Aires las-fc year, and already thb remedy of only allowing traffic to drive one way (in the same direction as the tramway lines, which run in opposite directions in alternate streets) has been tried. It is very evident that there are grave drawbacks to life in an Argentine city. Coming on to the question of labor, it must not be forgotten that Mr Twopenny’s own journal, the “Pastoralists’ Review,” has always displayed a zeal, almost approaching fanaticism-, in its fight against the demands of modern laborites. In this connection we are told that the laborers on the Argentine railways are mostly Italians getting from 5s to 6s a day, which seems poor remuneration when one considers the high cost of living ,in the country. In the “camp” Argentines and Basques are chiefly employed, the Italians having no experience of handling stock, and the rates of wages, though nominally lower than in Australia, do not. seem to differ very much in proportion to the work done, even though the hours are longer. The real advantage of the Argentine pastoralist lies in that he is still the “ master,” with a real command over his “hands.” Here Mr Twopenny tritely observes:

In Australia and New Zealand there are practically no masters left. Between employer and employee there is only. the difference of a letter, and it is very much more difficult to get work properly done 'under democratic conditions.

Speaking broadly it may be said that Argentina is being “ run ” industrially by! the foreign capitalist and/ his emplgyees. Most of the land is owned by British companies, and the pastoralist one meets, though he may be drawing anything from £2OO to £2OOO a year, is generally a manager and not an owner at all. Taken as a class, the Englishman in Argentina is an employee, in many cases doubtless an able administrator, but still only an official, and the country; is really owned and directed from London. Regarding the politics of the country, corruption is rife, and such a thing, as honest and impartial government is unknown. Labor troubles are dealt with in a summary manner. During strikes the Government 1 “ a state, of siege ’’ within the strike area, which means that attempts to annoy free laborers are dealt with under military law, and rioters may . bo shot down on' sight. A special law authorises the forcible deportation of agitators and other mischievous pefsons. The military law arrangement (says Mr Twopenny) may

seem severe, but it must be remembered that the; majority of the strikers are Italians, and the Argentine Government is more interested in the preservation of order than in meting out strict Justice to a few immigrants.. It is evident from the foregoing that Argentina, 'despite the opportunities afforded* by its immense areas for money-making, is by no means without its drawbacks, and we are not surprised to learn from Mr Twopenny that any New Zealanders who have gone there do not become Argentines, but are New Zealanders in exile looking forward to the time when .they shall have made enough money to justify their returning to this country.