"I never have any bother in that way," replied Dr. Graham. "I told you I never allow any of my fellows to have witnesses, if I can help it, and I generally can; so you see I don't lose their time in that way; and as to their being of any service to the fellow who wants to complain, I don't believe it, for I get it all arranged before their case is heard. You know, I am generally on the bench myself; and before we commence business, I, and whoever may be sitting with me, have a talk over the cases on the sheet; and, of course, there being one in my name, I just explain the matter to the other fellows, and we easily settle between us what the chap shall have. So that when my case is called, I sink the magistrate for the time, and leave the bench for the witness box, where I give my evidence and obtain the sentence I require. Only the last case I had was one brought against me by a bullock-driver I had employed, and who, not having done his work as he ought to have done, I gave a thrashing to, and he summoned me for assault. Now it happened, the day my case came on, I was on the bench with Ned Telford, who had a case against one of his men; and we arranged between ourselves, that while he sat to hear and dismiss my case, I would hear his, and give his fellow a fortnight in the lock-up. The thing was done as easily and quietly as possible, without any trouble or annoyance to either of us. What is the use of 'the Master and Servants Act' if we can't make the fellows obedient? It is high time that the blackguards were brought to their senses, for they have had their own way far too long, and I don't half so much trouble myself with them now as I used to do; they begin to know me, and understand that I will not put up with any of their nonsense."
"You certainly," said Brown, "manage to keep them pretty subordinate so long as they stay with you, which, I imagine, is not longer than they can help; but, for my own part, I am not so fortunate, for I am continually having trouble with my men. They are principally 'fresh emigrants,' and are always grumbling and growling, notwithstanding that they get higher wages than other men, and have less to do than usually falls to the lot of older hands. I begin to find that 'new chums' are the worst class of men that can be had; I would sooner have black fellows if they could be got to stick to their work."
"So would I," replied the Doctor, "if we could only make the black devils work, but that no one on earth can do. You see we are obliged to get new chums, at least I am, for the old ones disappear somehow; as soon as ever they get paid off, they bolt off down the country, and we see no more of them."
"Just so, Graham," said the other, "I find it equally as difficult to get men that have colonial experience as you do. The fact of the matter is simply this, some fools particularly busy themselves in spreading reports down the country that the blacks are fearfully troublesome in this district, and that no man's life is safe; the consequence of which is, that no one will engage to come out here but 'new chums,' who have not had time to hear the idle stories. I hear that emigration from home is likely to cease from the representations of a set of scoundrels in Sydney and Melbourne that the destitution there is great. If emigration is stopped, I don't know what we, in the outlying district, are to do for labour; what do you think Smithers?"
"I think," replied that individual, "that if the people in the large towns complain of the scarcity of work it is only because they won't go into the country to look for it. The fools won't stir out of the town, notwithstanding that there are too many of them there, and that their labour is wanted in the country. If the blackguards will not come into the bush when work is offered to them I would send them to work on the government roads."
"Yes, by Jove! you are right," said Brown; "but then that can't be done without some stringent enactment of government; which I am certain would be afraid to go in so heavily. One thing is very certain, labour we must have of some sort or another; for at present we are not only at the mercy of our men, but we have to pay them ruinously high wages, to be treated with contumely, have our work neglected, and our property sacrificed."
"For my part," said the Doctor, "I would sooner have the old convict times back again; then we could compel the fellows to do their work, and keep very civil too, unless they wanted a little buttering with the lash. Besides, it was far more satisfactory to have the scoundrels under our control, and not so expensive as paying the men, as now, forty and fifty pounds a year and their rations; but, halloo! who have we got here?"