DOMINION DOINGS

Maoriland Worker, Volume 5, Issue 178, 1 July 1914, Page 2

DOMINION DOINGS

SPECIAL REPORTS OF THE MOVEMENT IN THE CENTRES

Wairoa Wanderings

; f_ By REG. WILLIAMS.

Under the auspices of a local debating society, a recent evening.was devoted to impromptu speeches. It was into this society that tho "Maoriland j Worker" representative found his way. I unknown to tho good, fnik assembled. What the visitor saw mid hoard that -.evening gave him hope that a bright and glorious future lies before humanity. Those assembled were thoroughly representative in every respect, thoy i were-in fact, a well-assorted mixture. The-president' was a local'doctor, and thero were present the editors of the two local newspapers, a clergyman, an accountant, a farmer, a surveyor, a lawyer, a draper, a shop-assistant, a tailor, a cabinetmaker (and the incog, representative of the "Worker'). Hud a visiting Socialist known to be such, matched into that meeting, little of what was said, concerning our •social questions Would have been heard, or at least it would have been said with moro rcstraiut." As it was, however, perfect freedom of discussion took place, with the exception ; of the accountant (who was also a land agent) who refused on account of business reasons to. discuss the merits'or otherwise of tlio Borough Council. . Tho host speaker was the clergyman, and liis subject was full of interest, namely, "Ho*vcan>'a mcinher.bf Parlia-, meiit best'serve his constituents'?''''lt is a truly good sign that practically "all the'speakers to this subject desired the alo'ition of party. government. ' The doctor and one of the editors severely criticised the narrow-minded and selfish class of politician who spends, his, time merely .looking .for roads and, bridges for his own. electorate. . -' '. After the shop-assistant had entered upon a discussion as to the desirabil-, ity of taxing cats, which he greatly dis- ! approved of. the visitor r ventured to| draw the question, "Should women; propose?'' After having defended his belief in the equality of the sexes, he discovered.that in this respect also the members of the society were in accord with him. < • ' ■"':•. The next question was the topic of the night. "Is the cost of living excessive, and what is'the remedy?" This was the draper's turn, and he proved himself to be aii ardent • Single-taser, asserting that Single Tax is the 'absolute cure for all social evils. 'The farmer disagreed; he desired the abolition of the middleman, (one for the draper)'. Tlie parson did not think that the cost of living was high when compared with tho standard of living, The editor held the opinion that it i 3 "trusts" that are mainly responsible for the high .cost of living, and he characterised them as wicked and immoral organisations. He was followed by the shop assistant who declared that the only remedy was to nationalise the means of production, distribution and exchange. The speech of the evening was given by the doctor. "It seems to mc," he said, " that what-is needed is education, more of it and freer. There can be no doubt, gentlemen, that Socialism ia coming; it must come, and it .wjll oome because of-education/'•" ' , 'It is grand to know "that up in the Wairoa a place generally considered to be .jingoistic, there is an undercurrent of feeling such as was.expressed through the whole of the discussion of the debating society, which realises the absolute rottenness of our present social system, and which will when tho time is ripe, join issue with the workers who are in their own way striving to uplift —not- a class—but the whole of humanity. ,