MR. BARBER AND SWEATED LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 226, 17 June 1908, Page 5

MR. BARBER AND SWEATED LABOUR.

Sir, —Mr. Barber, in addressing his Newtown constituents on Wednesday evening, spoke on tho subject of sweated labour in Britain, and indicated plajnly enough that if wo had Free Trade in New Zealand our workers would be wearing suits of clothes costing ten shillings each, rainproof overcoats Is. 3d. each, and our boys would bo wearing suits made for Is. 6d. each. ■ Mr. Barber is evidently not aware that in Britain there are immense quantities of castofi clothing on tho market. But granting that chore is much sweating in Britain, tho labour is of the very poorest kind, and tho goods produced by this labour are really not worth more than 'what is asked for them. It is ridiculous, to suppose that such sweated labour products could do any harm to New Zealand indstiiries were Free Trade established within this Dominion. But Mr. Barber did not tell his hearers what is tbo causo of sweating in Britain. The Britons now know that the cause is land monopoly. The same cause produces sweating in New Zealand, of which sweating thero is as much, in proportion to population, as thero is iuBritain. Hero in New Zealand wo havo girls working for wages that will not keep soul and body together, and our artisans generally are working for less wages than what are commonly paid at Home for tho same classes of work. Of courso, I am taking into account the difference in tho cost of living. What wo want in New Zealand is tho singletax and Free Trade. AVo could then d-cf.v foreign competition, and our workers would havo tho full reward of their labour, which would be about double what they get now. I'feol very much inclined to oppose Sir. Barber at the. coming General Election. Mr. Barber knows as well as I do that after 20 years of Liberal government in this country the workers are no better off, but are slaving for a hand-to-mouth living, tho great bulk of tho wealth produced going to pcoplo who don't earn it; and it will.bo 110 different at tho end of the next twenty years, if wo have such men as Mr. Barber in tho Houso representing tho workers. Liberal policy is now, as it over has been, a policy that favours the rich and well-to-do at the expense of tho poorer classes. ■ Mr. Barber stands for landlordism, and tho oppression which is inseparable from it. Therefore, every intelligent worker will oppose him tooth and'nail.—l am, etc., EDWARD CAMPBELL EVANS. ' .Wellington,. June 12.