MR. J. KEIR HARDIE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 6

MR. J. KEIR HARDIE.

: WELCOMED' AT' THE" TOWN HALL. ■ INTERESTING .SPEECHES. Mr. J. :Keir Ha.rdte,"who-arrived' in Wellington yesterday afternoon','.was',entertained at n social .in the. Concert,.. Room -'of the Town Hall lash evening.The. gathering,was promoted ..by. the various Labour and Socialistic, "bodies in Wellington. '■ About. 150 ladies and gentlemen'were present; and when .Mr. Keir Hardie, nccompanicd by the Mayor (tho Hon. T. W. Hisiop) and .Mrs. Hislop, arrived shortly 1 rafter eight, o'clock, he was'warmly welcomed. "Tho Mayor' presided,, haying on his right tho guest of the evening,' and on his left Mr. A. Parlane, President' of tho' Trades and .Labour Council. Among ' those present were tho Hons. J.Rigg and W. W. M'Cardlo, M.L.C.'s; Councillors M'Laren and Fletcher, Messrs. E. Tregear (Secretary for Labour), C. H. Westbrooke (Secretary of the Trades and Labour Council),and John Hutcheson. SPEECH.BY THE MAYOR.' The Mayor, in welcoming Mr. Keir Hardie, said they had heard a good deal of hini during the last few. months,' and. much of that tho worst that , could l)o said. Later, news, however, had let .them come to the conclusion , that ho had .exhibited /luring his visit'to't(jo outposts .of-the Empire nothing except-those qualities for which he had. been* kjiomi'all his life.' They were.there to welcome'him. 'not because ho represented" the viows of tne" great'ma jority : of those present, but' because - throughouthis ' career lie had exhibited-.only self-abnegation and. a .determination to better the interests• of. others; Mr.' Keir. Hardie's qualities .'.might. . have placed him,' socially .and politically, in very comfortable .circumstances. .- But ho had devoted his lifo to tho bettering of others. The Mayor expressed'his thanks for thij.hon- . our of asking him to preside ,at the gathering, and he hoped that the outcome of Mr. Keir 1 Hanbo's" visit would be that they would' have : a bettor -.understanding - of the principles that, bo stood .for, and that Mr., lverr Hardie also' would learn something moro of what was going on in this coiintry. (Applause.). . . ADDRESSES BY LEGISLATORS. . .The, Hon. John. Rigg, MiL.C., in adding sonie 'words of' wolcome, - said that no Labour mau in- the-.w.orld had been hounded down and ' persecuted-on ..;account of • his opinions more-than.Mr. Keir Hardie.. Their courage and perseverance should be stimu-lated-by his visit. ■ The. Hon. W; ;W. M'Gardle congratulated the Mayor, on the-position , lie had taken ,up in Welcoming' the visitor, and tho. citizens ,of Wellington .in'.having the; opportunity of meeting. Mr. Hardie. .. • ■ MR. KElIt JIARDJE'S. ADDRESS. Mr. Keir;Hardie, on'rising .to speak, was received with loud applause, cheers, and the singing of a verse "of "Eor he's a jolly, good fellow."' He' 'saidthat' if- he had .believed all he had hoard at Home about tho Socialistic Government of New Zealand he would:have had' great hesitation about: risking "his reputation' among sudi a people. Ho had been "specially .commissioned , by ; the Labour party in; the House,.of:Commons, to convey their fraternal greetings to New Zealanders.' His visit'had no political significance. It had' donp - his heart l good;,to meet with Socialists from.'Eh'gland,'such as.Mr. Robert?, Hogg (whom ho had known, before* and j who. after crbssing, the seas, was' still wioirking here in.thoicause ,of humanity);- and it'iWjs alsova', pleasure .ne.w. friends like-' Mr. Edward ..Tregear :'and others.",-' Ho had .decided' to abandon . his visit to Tasmania in order to spend a few mbre days in Now Zealand.' 'He would: therefore, not* leave Wellington until. Monday, evening,,. and had promised to address.'a meeting..on Sunday afternoon . or evening/.; .(Applause.) : Coiir trasting the political conditions of England and New' Zealand, Mr: .Hardie said that owing to having' a' hereditary "House • of ' Lords and no payment of members,, there!was no possibility of bringing tho; brightest intellects of'the' Labour movement in a ( Second .Chambar—(hear, hear)—and there.' was. no induco? imqn.t- but genuine: devotion, to.-the cause-to -make anybody join, the party; It .was, therefore,' a vigorous,, united;, and.strenuous party. It '• consisted of, people. who wanted; :'not to rise' out .-of the: masses, but, to .elevate the masses.. (Hear,' hear.)" He hoped 'at'.a later opportunity to suy- what lie thought was wanting in the Labour movement in Australasia, but, in, tho meantime, ho realised that if they were all .to bo. thoroughly successful t-hei-o must be more interchange of opinion and' moro unity' between the Labour parties at Homo sand-..overseas. ' -Thoy' -must vlet Imperial statesmen know that if .they acted so as to thwart'.the ideals of Laboiir, they would meet with Labour's united opposition. Tho English . party, had 'no quarrel with !the Labour party here in supporting protection . for: their own benefit, but'they were not going; to. .let that : action, be : used as a lover to forcei ■ protection--at Home. Thoro,-under "whatever alias of preferential trade, or- it'.-might .assume,, pro-, tection meant . reaction. He would-be glad -if his tour through'the colonies'led to. some united- policy: being adopted. • In conclusion, Mr.. Hardie said he- came-, bringing ho titles to/bestow, no gifts,, no capital to industries—he was hot. even a lapd speculator;. he came .simply ..as - a . man of . tho people,. -to' meet 'the people, and ho liad been deeply touched by the way in which members of tho Government, -and others occupying, high positions, had gone-out'of their way to extend to him the hand of kindly welcome. He .would carry back, .with ;him. none -but pleasant memories;-, and' would be' strengthened in. his belief in tho early advent'of the day'.whin democracy: would,, be in,-reality, and- not as a nnrao without meaning; a . force,- and a dominant force, in iivory government in the world. (Loud and long applause..),,.!;.. , CITY COUNCILLORS. : , ' Councillor.-,D. 'M'Laren- 'said that -. Mr. Hardie' would find that here 'in Wellington the cause in which he was engaged was making progress , through; the av.onues of municipal enterprise. Nationally, much, had beon done by means of industrial arbitration and.otherwise 'to raise-, ;.tjie condition «of labour, but he felt that a 'great deal' moro still had .to be. .done. . .The, land question would: have .to be.closely grappled, with.'-It was needful for Laboiir in this country to keep in touch.with Labour at Home. They ■must..not get. out , of ..sympathy, - although they might . find,for instance, . that, / the Labour movement in. the. older countries laid very' great, stress on ,anti-militarism. There, wore some points .on which ho thought Labour, in the Colonies'should,'for the present, suspend judgment on Labour at Home. ''.Councillor Fletcher also spoke;' "' • LOCAL LABOUR LEADERS. Mr.' A. Parlane, President of the Trades and Labour. Council,, and Mr. W. H. Westhrooke "(secretary), • welcomed: tho guest- 1 on behalf of tho Council. ' Mr. Westbrooko :said that if Mr; Hardie ,-saw- -might-' of injustice or .oppression, he wonld not be doln" his duty as 'a Labour man if ho did not denounce it. Tho Labour movement here. was., too sectional.- . They should recognise that the force it had to contend against—Capital—was international. Mr. J. Colespoko on-behalf of. the. Political : Labour. League. He. hoped that-Mr. lioir Hardie, after seeing that industrial arbitration had not. solved the Labour problem, .ivoujd go. back , and tell the'.workers at Home,'.to have nothing to do with it. It was a sop thrown to the,workers to .make.them moro -contented,-but. ho wished'.'to 'see them bocortia more discontented ami send their own representatives to . Parliament to, settle tho Laboiir. problehl' in 'tlieir 'own way'.'" " Mr. J. Hutchcson also s'poko. , * • " AULD LANG SYNE.''-■ ' , : Diiring.thc evening songs wero contributed by Mossrs. 'Hopper, LightfootJ, and Long, Misses-O'Shca;. and .'Eagle.. '• The. social'• arrangomonts were in the hands of > Mr. . A. Bloc-h. ■■■-.' " ". ■- ' ■ ' Mr. Kcir-Hardic, after .thanking the Mayor for presiding,' led 'the- singing'of "Anld Lang Syne,"' and the ; gathering then dispersed. • . ; . AT. THE RAILWAY STATION. .A moderate crowd of Socialists and othors waiting at, the .Mannwatu -railway station when the express drew in last evening rushe'd forward to nccost and shake hands with a typical .working man, shortj- thick-jet, in

working - man's attire,- who . smiled .at them with.mild, gnod-naiured.pyes andVbe'aming, florid' face'. Cheers '.were' raised' for 'Mr. "'Keir Hordip, who was hurried .out. liy his admirers to tho station front. .There tne : Mayor (the Hon. T. W._ Hislop); met/Mm"'arid'''shook hands, and u"ljilc '. the ' two'". r >VaiCod for a vehicle, others of .the crowd introduced themselves to the man of. unassuming appearance. Among those'present were Hon'.' J. Ttig'g, M.L.C., Mr; D. -il'Laren ; (Gity' Councillor), Mr. M'Parland,- President' of' the ' Wellington Trades and LahourVC.ouncih ''a]id members, Mr. P; T. Moore, of tho\Wellirig-' ton ' Fabian' Society, l Mr." Gordon, of . tho, C|ancn-.;Club;'and' Mr. R. Hogg, The übiquitous' o]dacquaintance whs there, .'and tp. him..'Mr; ! 'Sardie. chattedwith every appearance' of, delight..^v;'. . ' • .. A Domixion ; representativeasked * the visitor if lie would- give ' any. information about his intended,, movements :in Now Zealand. Mr.' Bardie replied that ;lw. would not say. anything to any l'rcssnun .in r Wellington,' " Not 'even .'about your movements? " " No. Of course, you understand it is riot personal." . Cheers were giveil {for w Mr. Keir Hardie, and also for the Mayor.; A sturdy Socialist leader Cried aloud 'that, all those present' wertf " invited to the social to Mr! Keir Hardie at the Town Hall," and urged them all to " roll up." Tho preliniiriary welcome then-ended. . " ' A-BRlffiZV INTER VIEW. . (by .teleghafh —PRESS association.) : Palmerston North, Uecember 2".. . A' "Manawa'tu Times'''representative had a brief but" breezv,interview. .with. Mr., Keir Hardie- on the railway, station yesterday afternoon. as he passed through to Wcllrngton.' Ke. declined to say anything , about Newt-Zealand. . '.'Well, are you prepared to say..something 'about your : tour-in Indiaf'V' .. r "No;' I will-riot," -.snapped .Mr. Hardie. "J3ut what I- will say.. is, that* ,your editors ought to be ashamed of themselves. . They are unscrupulous cads. You .can publish that, if, you'like."-: .'"C.ortainly, with the greatest,, of. pleasure, responded "the pressman; ."but. don t you intend to explain your position, and put yourself -right with the", public?" . . " . , "No; I ' do' not, roplied- Mr..';H,ardie. -I have nothing to explain. I'am not on my trial. -It is the editors who--are on theirs: Remember tlifit." . ." ;"