We hear much about the hard lot of the country
porter and his 40s. a week. But the country porter is actually being offered 56s. a week so long as the cost of living remains as now. That surely is very good pay for a man whose work is intermittent, and at some stations is very easy. The porter also receives tips given to him frequently by people who are poorer than he is. Indeed a nice point arises about these tips. Will the poor clerk who on his exiguous pay has to buy his own uniform—the black coat required in his office—be bold enough to refrain from tipping the *tan who is better off than he is ? The porter is given his uniform; the clerk is not ; but the pay of both may be the same, or the clerk's may be even less. It will be interesting to see what happens. But much boldness is required to break down custom, even the most illogical.
