THE SOCIALIST CAANAN.

Lake County Press, Issue 904, 29 March 1900, Page 5

THE SOCIALIST CAANAN.

The Lodnon correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes :—New Zealand guts a splendid ad vertisinent in the Clation, from one “ William Ranstcad,” who calls the colony the Socialist Caanan, and says, “ it’s a treat to live in a country where there’s nothing to kick at.” After brief references to the franchise, old age pensions, the laud policy, advances to settlers, State railways, prohibition orders, strikes, the Public Tru,t Ollice, the unemployed, the Government Life Insurance Department, Mr Ranstcad calls New Zealandcs “Collectivists,” and compares the Liberals to Fabian Socialists, and the Tories to Progressives. He enthuses over the people and says : “ There’s more practical Socialism here than in any other part of the woild. The people pride themselves on their plain common-sense. They don’t spend years talking about things. They are itntensely practical, and manage! the country’s business as they do their own. The Government officials treat the State as a gigantic trading concern, and lay themselves out in every way they can to push the business. . . . Nothing I have

seen outside the British Isles can be compared to New Zealand as a home for Britishers. . . . My friends

are asking me when I intend to return. . . Why shruld I ever leave such a country with such laws, such land, such a climate, and such exquisite scenery 1 Here there is no aristocracy, no snobbery. T.iere are no very rich people and no poor. Here no sober industrious man need lack any of the comforts of life.” So Mr Ranstead has settled down for good in Wanganui.