A Returned Gisbornite.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 418, 18 February 1890, Page 3

A Returned Gisbornite.

Among the persons who some 18 months or two years ago were leaving the colony were two young men from Gisborne, Messrs Walter Burch and Graham Higgins. During! the put fortnight young Burch has returned, and our representative waited upon him to get a few particulars as to his I wanderings. Walter Burch, who is a son of Mr Edward Bnrch, (s a strapping young fellow, not at all afraid of hard work, and just the sort of person to make his way in the world wherever he goes. It appears that he and his mate left 18 months ago for Sydney. They found that things there were no better than in this colony, and that a number of old Gisbornites who were there would have been glad enough to get back agtin. They knocked about different parts of New South Wales for soir.e time, but as they saw no hope of things improving, and after a stay of eight months,' they left for San Diego. It took all the money they had io put them on board the ship, and working their passage before the mast they received £3 a piece at the end of the voyage, and this formed their whole stock and trade to start life iu America with. They arrived at San Diego just as the " bottom had been knocked out of the boom,” and found things insufferably dull. However, they were young and willing, ao they worked their way into the interior. of California, where they were employed on ranches or fayhi’s. The ruling wage for farm hands rsnges from ft to 40 dollars a month, and keep. Wages all round were higher than in New Zealand, but living is also comparatively wore costly. Burch got 35 dollars a riionth, and out of that was able, after ten months, to eave his passage money (£2O) and to return to Gisborne with a little in his pocket besides. In California there is any Amount of scope for young men who are willing to work,' an! they cart gain a competence in a very short time. They must not, however, expect to find things altogether similar to those in Stew Zealand, Thors is np qubh thing as the ejgt|t 'houtS System, and tan hours a day ia the usual average, The young fellow, too, will miss his recreation. Ths only sport that is indulged in is baseball, and this is monopolised by men who make a living out of it, Athletic sports find no place at all in American life. However, Walter thinks that after all the places be has visited there .Is nuns like New His mate was not of the Mtns opinion. He thought New Zealand a dead kind of piece, and resolved to stay la Ben FrtnvUoo, where ho is MWfntalat twa <toll»ts s 4»y.j