Cardinal Moran on the Rights and Duties of Labor.

Evening Star, Issue 8610, 2 September 1891, Page 3

Cardinal Moran on the Rights and Duties of Labor.

Cardinal Moran delivered, at the New Masonic Hall, Sydney, last week, an address on the • Rights and Duties of Labor.' The cardinal laid it down that the laborer's wages should suffice not only to maintain his strength and vigor, and to make provision for the rainy day, sickness, and old age, but should yield a competence, moreover, for the frugal support of his wife and family, and enable him to educate his children in the paths of virtue and industry, and to equip them for their career of life. In Australia, he added, those rights were very generally admitted to be the dictates of common sense, and were recognised by all. In many ways the material condition of the Australian artisan class might serve as a model to many other countries, in the wages which they received, the hours that they worked, and the general comfort of their homesteads. He did not know that any other sight in Sydney was more cheering than the family groups on their holiday trip?. Children and parents, With their picnio baskets, and in their gay attire, presented, the Cardinal said, such a picture of contentment and domestio life as would seem to realise the dreams of Goldsmith in his • Deserted Village.' The Cardinal dwelt upon the question of freedom of contract, defined the rights of the worker and of the capitalist, touched upon the _cooparative system, adverted to trades unionism, asserted that the working men were entitled to have the cause of labor represented in Parliament, and reminded the workers, that whilst they had rights they also had responsibilities. The Cardinal laid stress upon the necessity for the workers to select as their leaders men of honor, intelligence and integrity; and urged that the laborer should uphold the legitimate interests of capital, and should faithfully keep the law, and be striot in its observance. True liberty could only be maintained by upholding the majesty of the law, and the laborer more than any other needed its protecting regis to safeguard his freedom, Then the laborer Bhould cherish patriotism. It was the laborer's duty to shun strikes, and the friends of labor snould promote boards of conciliation and arbitration.

The branohes of the Railway Servants' Society at Wellington and Palmerston North have declared against the Insurance Bill prepared by the Railway Commissioners. Sir W. Manning Bays that the gambling which is going on throughout New South Wales in shops, and especially in tobacconists' shops, is degrading the whole character of the colony.

Mr David Christie Murray has an article in the 'Contemporary Review' on his impressions of the Australasian colonies, fie is of opinion that country-bred Australians already present a new type, being tiller and slimmer than Englishmen. _ The climate is altering peoplo, and it will be impossible to preserve European characteristics in the northern districts. He describes the people as addicted to slang of a meagre and vulgar character, and to blasphemy of a particularly scorching kind. The Australian youth are irreverent to the last degree, Altogether he considers the Australians one of the most prosperous, educated, rowdy, and drunken people in the world. The country is filled with feverish, reokless energy, everybody hurrying along to get rich. Be eulogises the beginning of art and literature, the commercial morality, and the exquisite scenery which is only awaiting an artist of the noblest geniuß to commemorate its beauties.