LABOUR IN NEW I ZEALAND

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 163, 27 June 1911, Page 11

LABOUR IN NEW I ZEALAND

HOW MR. TREGEAR VIEWS THE POSITION*. Australian trades unionists are making Mr. Trcgear’s visit as pleasant as possible, and Mr. Tregear in return is telling Australians something about us and cur conditions. He was given an enthusiastic reception by the delegates to the Victorian Trades Hall Council, and said'much of "‘Corning from New Zealand?* said Mr. Tregear, no apology is needed. There are New Zealanders whn think a good deal of themselves, as colonists will, and I hope colonists will ever do so. Bnt of New Zealand I think it might be said that it is to tl>e moral world what radium is to the physical.” The following paragraphs* from his speech the Hon. j p ail l, M.L.C.. takes from the Worker, feeling that his readers will find them more than ordinarily interesting:— “Suggestions have been made that in some respects progressive legislation has failed in New Zealand. I do not hold that view. but it can be said that New Zealand boldly faced problems which confronted her. In any country where there may have been legislative failures it has at least demonstrated that the road followed was eventually found ‘closed.’ and the remedy must lie in other directions. We were told in New Zealand. by visitors from England that, whilst our legislation was all very well for a small place like ours, it would never do for a ‘big’ country like England or America. I maintain that the principle proved to be good in a small country ’ could be made to apply with equal force in a larger one. “The position of labour in New Zealand? It is a little complex just now. but is slowly making for unity. There are what might be called three parties. The first and largest are the Trades Unionists, who. thou|d> not belonging to the old type, have perhaps still a little of that leaven amongst them. Next there is the Socialist party, who attack the Trades Unionists and tell them thev are asleep, and not awake to the true position. The Trades Unionists retort that the Socialists yap at street comers, but have neither money nor organisation. The feeling between the two is not. say, cordial, but there is hope of an understanding being arrived at. The third body, the Miners’ Federation, are inclined to I.W.W. lines. They have broken from the Arbitration Court, have no use for palliatives, decry political action, and urge that nothing will succeed except the great industrial strike. We the Trades Unionist infantry firing on the Socialist cavalry and the Socialist cavalry charging down on the infantry, whilst the Miners’ Federation pour their artillery into both. “Still, the position. I am glad to say. is mending, and there is a decided disposition all round to draW- closer to one another. Mv idea is to try to help to completely unite these warring elements, so that when the General Elections come-on the ranks of the workers will be solid. The whole of what fighting power I possess will be devoted to that end. and I will bf, in the firing line assisting to bring that about so long as a cartridge remains. ... I come to Australia after 50 years in New Zealand to learn something, and when I return I feel sure my visit wfllnot have been in vain. The workers of New Zealand would like to be closer to you. and visits of - R to bring that about, just as visits to us bring you nearer to us. There is ever a bond between workers, and that bond is that they are men and women of common aims and wishes. And on behalf of those in New Zealand F thank you sincerely.”—(Cheers.)