THE SOCIALIST REMEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 60, 11 March 1903, Page 2

THE SOCIALIST REMEDY.

Curious to hear what remedy the New Zealand Socialist Party purposed ■submitting for the furniture trade difficulty, between two and three hundred people assembled at (lie Grey-street ftrcbell last evening. The crowd was not a. very enthusiastic one, but on the oilier hand il was not hostile, and when the resolution of tin 1 evening was put to the meeting a. large number (if hands were held up in favour of il, while no one expressed dissent. „-\ humble rostrum in the shape of two fruit, cases was provided, and from this several speakers addressed the meeting in support of socialistic doctrines. Air E. Sale was the first speaker, and he moved. ''That in view of the fact I hat employers in the Auckland furniture trade are by their action in discharging numbers of their workmen evading the award of th_e Court, and thus defeating the intentions of the Arbitration Act. this meeting of Auckland citizens calls upon the Government to establish, national furniture factories, from which the community may be supplied direct." Mr S;\le said that Socialists believed that the Government should acquire all means of production, exchange ami distribution, and that pvtvy man should have an equal opportunity. Mr VT. S. Fowler, who seconded the motion, referred to the recent strikes in America and France, where disaster bad been avoided by the arbitration of the Presidents of those countries. Socialism was the only remedy for the designs of the capitalist exploiter. Mr Fowler referred to the growth of Socialism in England, whore many towns werfi feelin <r the benefit of municipal socialism. Mr "R. Andrews said (he Conciliation aud Arbitration Act was a failure. _ Tt Prevented the worker front striking, but it did nof prevent the employer from striking. YVhr did not the Governinenl preserve their own bush, cut the timber, bring it to town and put it into furniture? If the Government could run .-.'steamer In lake Mr Scddon to the Islands, couldn't they run a boat to inko lb em (the aiuliencci home, ifvhey wanted a trip -where was (lie difference? The resolution was put and carried without dissent. Mr Partington also spoke, and a number of questions were asked, the meeting then dispersing.