Waihi Socialists.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 21, 28 July 1911, Page 12

Waihi Socialists.

OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. Tho Miners' Hall was packed on July 1G to hear addresses on "The Necessity of Political Action by the Workers" by spankers from the Waihi and Karangahako Socialist Parties. Miss Z. Norton occupied the chair. She said she was a Socialist because she realised that life should be something better than the horrible sham we have at present. There would bo less opposh ion if our opponents really understood Socialism. It was because they misunderstood it that they opposed itC. Smith dealt witli the question from tho class struggle viewpoint, and explained how tho classes in society to-day were divided. D. Leach (Karangahako) said he was a business man, and to-day, although a man may object to the rules of the game, he had to play it in order to live. He gave instances where the master class would send a note to all the small business people stating that a rise in price would be made in certain articles and if not granted the article would not bo supplied. This was the lines that organised Labor should bo able to adopt—put a certain price on its commodity, labor power, and refuse to sell it until the. demands were granted. Labor was in urgent need of a 'Parliamentary Party to look after its interests. W. E. Parry said the coming campaign was going to be a strenuous one, and all must put their shoulder to the wheel. He quoted figures to show tbat £500 a year was produced by the" workers of New Zealand per head, and yet their share was only £100 per head on tho average! The new Socialist Party in the House, while it would take all that it could squeeze out of the master olaiss, would not be satisfied with £ I or £200 or £450 per year, but wanted all it produced. "The wealth of the world for those who produced it," was the cry. A. C lav is (Kariangahake) said people had told him that Comrade Hickey was unpopular, .but he said every man who was in tho forefront of the Labor movement was unpopular with supporters of the master class. It was because Hickey was unpopular that thoy were running him. If a man in the Labor movement was popular with tho capitalist classwell, he was of no use to the workers. Each speaker was listened to attentively, and received unstinted applause at the conclusion. The local party aro holding a series of dancing socials. These socials were a great success in previous years, and

will no doubt be as enjoyable and as attractive in the future. It is a household AAord in Waihi that the Socialist Party functions are easily first for sociability and enjoyment.—THE REBEL.