NEW ZEALAND LIBERALISM-A FARCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 645, 23 October 1909, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND LIBERALISM-A FARCE.

Sir,—lf . anyone should be in doubt about tho true'nature of our boasted Liberalism, let him apply the good, time-honoured text: "By their fruits shall ye know them." Ah application of this unerring principle .will soon reveal tho fraud in all its natural ugliness. "Liberal- . ism and Liberty," says Lord Rosebery; "used to go together." In former times they were as inseparable jas the Siamese twins. Alas! that time is gone, .so far as New Zealand is con: corned. Political trickery, chicanery, fraud, despotism, in fact, anything and. everything that is opposed to'real liberty and true Liberalism is to be found linked with the party who has outraged every vestige of liberty, while it retains but the name, yet abandoning the basic, principle upon which true Liberalism is, founded—liberty. Notwithstanding all that the party has claimed, or can claim, this outstanding fact, remains. Thero can bo no LiberalifSn where there is ho liberty, deny it who can. 1 The, agreement arrived at by the' threshing-, machine owners and the Workers' Union, by which threshing out of the'stook is to be abandoned,'is a typical instance of Liberalism, the direct and immediate result of the'applica-tion,-of. Liberal .labour laws. Tho'chict party' interested, the one who bears tho burden, who runs "all the risk',. and filially pays all ' tho money—the farmor—apparently'.. has not been consulted. Where, I ask, is his liberty? Coercion arid compulsion are to bo meted out to him with a truly liberal hand. Liberty—the once universal glorious liberty-is' to be tho express heritage of.'the paipp'ered unions. This.is no doubt.the result of .the labours.of'the agitator, whom Judge . Kettle recently condemned "as a curse .'to tne community." Will the Ward ■ Government mako an effort to rid tho community of. a. curse which is the outcome and product of.Liberal legislation? Ndverl'Will they attemni'to. protect tho . best interests'of New Zealand. by. protecting. the class On,. whom' tho country'depends (more than any other) from all undue interference in the. carrying .on of their business? It is very doubtful.,'/To-check this by any kind of legislation would be suicidal-' Their very Ministerial existence deponds'pn. the maintenance of tho present state of affairs—the pandering to. the unions by law protected and encouraged. Of course, we may have a certain amount of political jugglery; wo have had lots of it before, but I warn ..the farmers to watch all such attempts. The first of;such was in 1894, when the so-called "Indus-' trial Conciliation and Arbitration Act" was passed. The very, preamble disclosed the cloven toot: "An Act to encourage the formation of industrial unions and associations, and - to facilitate the settlement of industrial disputes by conciliation and .arbitration." Had that preamblo read:."An Act to facilitate the settlement of industrial disputes by conciliation or arbitration," and left out altogether the', '.'en-, couragement and formation of .unions," etc., .it would have shown somo common sense, as well as statesmanship, llad its provisions; been iu keeping with the latter title, its authors might have claimed to have been actuated .'by.-"'the purest of motives, and probably, rhave" done-a deal of good; but you see the "cncouragemohtand formation of' unions" was tho,' trump ycard by which the odd trick—retention of to be secured, henco its foremost ppsitioh'.iri .thoi preamble. , . - Have its provisions and those, of its amendments secured the .- industrial peace?--. You might just as well pass ain Act to mix oil 'and water, so that on and . after a certain day all oils, no matter what kind,''quality, or specific gravity, must mix with water, leaving no trace of 1 their original constituents, but becoming a most delightful and submissive liberal blend. It-does not say much for the ■ intelligence of the majority, of New, Zealanders that they have put up with such rubbish because it was).called Liberal legislation; but it;has afforded the few who. understood'the whole, affair an> experience, .of mingled amusement and disgust to watch' tho efforts'-of 'our! legislators who, while they- made .show of reformation, always retained, to them the' flrat' essential; keeping right'-'with : "those whose votes were so'necessary.' ' v '.' After a period of Socialistic legislation, it' is to be hoped that there will -bo.: a return -to political Tibnesty and. true Liberal : principles/ If . the' so-ialled/ arbitration ! laiv's . were : -swept apay; altogether, and a brief period, allowed to' settle'-'down' to. normal'condition's, l tlien "intelli-. gent legislation might, bo introduced, r in ; which' the-county's; and not tho party*sr i good''Bho'uld bo the; only consideration, To ■ obtain-""this 1 we ; want a,' true-statesman, not, the"kind' of person" described by Mr;' Belfort 'Bax in his'-'"Religion' of Socialism," p.. 31: "A man' , in- his public acts," in "all' that he does''that concerns' l the 'people may prove- himself-, an ill-iioaditidned' ruffian,, or an unscrupulous 1 adventurer; care-' less though:'he plunge a whole nation ■' into misery to setve■ his'.own;purpose or-ambition; :yet''he'taiiy : : still, ;if ho' only "make ' himself sufficiently prominent, expect, honourable mention,when lining,- and: a public .monument when doad."-rI. am; etc.,.',. -' , , ' ' . - - . .AGE!COLA.