MR TREGEAR AND SOCIALISM.

Evening Star, Issue 12867, 17 July 1906, Page 7

MR TREGEAR AND SOCIALISM.

I NOT WANTED IN MELBQ"RNE. At the monthly meeting of the Council of the Victorian Employers' Federation, held in Melbourne on the 9th hist., the decision of the Premier to import Mr Ttlgear from New Zealand to deal with tho unemployed problem was adversely criticised, and it was resolved to make certain representations to the president, Mr Fairbairn, M.L.A-i on the subject. At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Victorian Farmers' League, held at Scott's Hotel, Melbourne, on the following day, the arrangement that Mr Tregear. secretary of the Labor Department ot New Zealand, should be brought to Victoria in connection wim the establishment of a labor bureau was strongly commented upon, Mr A. C. Palmer (Euroa) mov.d—"That the attention of the Premier be called to the fact that it is publicly stated in the Press that arrangements had bsen made to bring Mr Tregear, of New Zealand, a man of very advanced socialistic views, to Victoria under Government sanction to report upon the ©stabbshment of an unemployed bureau, and that we express the hope that such is not the case, because the solution of the unemployed difficulty is not through the medium of Socialism, and urge that ii such arrangements are in contemplation, now that the disposition of the gentleman named is known, such arrangement may be cancelled." He quoted fiom the litter published in tho ' Argus' on Monday from its Dunedin correspondent, and said it was evident that Mr Tregear was an out-and-out Socialist of the advanced order. It would almost be better to secure ths services of Mr Tom Mann than those of Mr Tregear. He did not think when the arrangement was made that Mr Bent could i have known what extreme views were held by Mr Tregear, who would certainly work into any scheme he might prepare for a labor bureau proposals of a socialistic de- , scription. i Mr R. M'DonaH (Mannerim) seconded the motion, which was supporter by Messrs A. E. Leake, F. G. Clarke, and F. Brumby. | Th© President (Mr D. Brown), while agreeing with the resolution, expressed doubt as to whether it would have any effect, as he understood that Mr iient had already declined to cancel the arrangement | with Mr Tregear. The resolution was earned.