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LETTER EIGHT
45

nothing to do with it; so they offered me a trial at this hard job, though, as I came from the country, they seemed to doubt whether I should be able to manage it, as it is also rather a difficult job; but they say now that I am quite an adept at it, and I believe they would rather I stayed with them than went to Australia. We were also a little behind with our rent. I can get, by working hard, about five or six shillings a day, but have not been able to make near full time, owing to having to go to the emigration office, and one thing and another. It is a very difficult thing to get a free passage. They would not even let me leave my certificates till last Monday, though I tendered them time after time. They would not give me a passage at first, because I was a turner, as persons of such a trade as mine must, when they get to Sydney, work on their own account. They take it for granted that persons who are taken out free of expense have not the means to do otherwise. There are crowds of applicants every day at the emigration office for them to choose out of, and they keep them back and put them off from time to time, very vexatiously, it seems to me, to try whether they are really anxious and resolved upon going, lest persons should go out