THE SOCIALISTS OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14973, 20 April 1909, Page 5

THE SOCIALISTS OF CHRISTCHURCH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Some time ago I attended a meeting of the above-named people. I could not help being struck with the helpless nature of their arguments. One and all of them appear to be unanimous in the denunciation of the Government and all governments, of the Prime Minister and ail prime ministers, of our Judges and all judges, in fact of all the products of our present system of law and order. What was their remedy? Abolition of law? . By no maimer of means. What they were all clamouring for was more law, more officials, more red tape, more regulations, more State spoon-feeding, until one began-to-won-der whether ho was not listening to a crowd of escaped slaves who had only recently gained their freedom, and who were longing to be back in their masters’ huts, where at all events they would he sure of their rations, even if these were seasoned with a toucli of tho whip and an odd kick or two thrown in.

Now, I am dissatisfied with our present social system and 1 want reform, bub I demand the abolition of law altogether. I think that a true man does not require to be fettered and bound with laws and regulations of any kind. If he is a man at all he ought to be able to stand alone. In fact,’if I was to get my choice between living under silly Socialism and the present system, I would rather live under tho present system, because with all its faults it will produce a certain number of men. Socialism pure and simple would simply produce a nation of soft simpletons, who would'he wiped out- of existence by the first Japanese expedition .that took it into its head to take New Zealand from us, much the same as the Spaniards wiped out the Peruvians a few hundred years ago. No, my silly, simple socialistic friends, your cure is no cure at all, you would simply .make things worse. It is some satisfaction to note that there is a big falling off in the socialistic- ranks all over the world. Mankind as a whole are no doubt mostly fools, but the majority of them do like some liberty. Your plan would

turn every one of us into Government slaves. As to the mental calibre of the New Zealand converts to revolutionary Socialism, one can form an idea of this by the sort of stuff which they give utterance to and write. Imagine sensible people thinking that they can ad vanee any cause by signing themselves “Yours for the*revolution” and wearing red ties. Why the thing is too childish and too puerile for words.—l am, etc., AN ANARCHIST.'