MR. KEIR HARDIE'S VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

Maoriland Worker, Volume 6, Issue 244, 20 October 1915, Page 1

MR. KEIR HARDIES VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

Bγ T. W. HISLOP

The editor has asked mc to revive tho incidents of the late Mr. Keir Hardio's visit to Wellington, and to give what I remember of his remarks on men and movements, and I gladly do so. I often wish I had made notes at the time because there were many things said during conversations which wero worth recording which I find difficulty in recalling with all the incidents that made them brightly interesting. Before Mr. Hardies arrival here wo had had visits from other leaders of the Labour cause, and prin-

cipal among them was Mr. Ramsay Macdonald, who was heralded with all kinds of wild cablegrams announcing that revolutionary and extravagant statements had been made by him in Australia, which were at variance with his known opinions and were impossible enunciations from bo clear and scientific a thinker. On arrival of the reports of his speeches the absurdity of the cables was demonstrated. Tho personal experience enjoyed by my wife and myself of Mr. Macdonald and his talented wi£e was a most pleasant and helpful one. When therefore on its becoming known that Mr. Hardie had entered upon a journey embracing practically the British Empire, and that he had entered India, one was quite prepared for a similar shower of adverse criticism. Some of Lis opponents were prepared to deseribo before his visit what he would say and do, and they did not wait until the thing was actually said to launch on the wires matter which when it came back to its supposed source of eupply astonished even the Conservative press. All were not however alike. ,1 met a jhigh English titled Conservative, who in my hearing expressed himself something like this: 'I'm glad the old beggar is going to travel. He is honest but narrow. When he sees the magnitude of things and has personal experience of the difficulties, he'll be more tolerant." Ho went on to express admiration ofyhis honesty and steadfastness and absolute disregard of things which might ministor lo his personal comfort and aggrandisement, and mentioned particularly his adherence to tho simple fare of his childhood. I had during his visit porsoim! oxporienco of this. I had not kept myself posted in tho development of

the movement of Labourites, Socialistic or otherwise in England, so much as I could havo wished, but from my boyhood up I had been learning of the bitterness which those who take on social changes engender in the minds of those affected, especially those who believe that tho ending or changing of a system means the destruction of society. 1 also felt that the reformers wero often too regardless of the pain, sometimes out o£ proportion to the gains, caused to many who wero affected by changes of not Aiaterial importance. All I knew of Mr. Hardie was from one or two of his publioationa and very casual newspaper reading, end from these I was glad that wo were to have the opportunity of seeing the living man. It will be remembered that about the time of Mr. Hardie'e visit to India, Indian affairs were causing some concern, and there were, as there always are, eensstion-mong-ers publishing in the press accounts exaggerating the significance and intensity of the troubles. A correspondent of Eeuter'a had been a great offender in this respect, and he became so niischevious that seven leading journalists, who were described as "constituting with one exception the entire body of purely British journalists in Bengal connected with the editorial staifs of Calcutta newspapers, and holding various shades of political opinions," wroto to the "Times,", and among other things said: "But of the mass of highly-coloured telegrams lately sent from India we would cite as particularly reprehensible a lengthy cable by Iteuter's Calcutta correspondent, etc., etc. Our complaint against these messages is two-fold: First, that they contain specific statements which aro seriously inaccurate; secondly i&cfc taken together they present a violent aud distorted picture of the position." 1 had a mind prepared by this protest wneu tho cables about Keir Hardies statements in India wore published on the authority of this samo correspondent. When I was asked at a meeting of Council what was to bo my. attitude on Mr. Hardio'-s arrival, I informed the Council that it was my duty to receive him. Hβ was the head of a recognised party in tho House of Com--.mons; that his character was of the highest and that there was no evidence worthy of the name that he had in India done anything to disturb the stability of English rule. The local papers attacked mo in no measured terms, and those of other parts of the colony followed. There were not six exceptions, and the only newspaper among those which attacked him that had the candour to make amends when further information arrived was the "Dunedin Evening Star," which did 60. honorably aud fully in terms which I trust may be reproduced in this paper. It was not until after bis death that our local evening paper referred to him in complimentary terms, and then it was by adopting Mr. Gardiner's wellknown article. I hope I may be excused for reproducing somewhat fully what I addressed to one newspaper as a reply to all. After contending that the authority upon which tho accusations made were unreliable, I wrote:

"These alarmist messages have been republiehed in Wellington, ami you and others invite us to believe these false correspondents and condemn a man whose character and abilities you concede, although ho himßelf has denied that he has made any statement in sympathy with rebellion and disloyalty. "1 would like to say. that the attitude assumed by the press towards Sir. Hardie renders it all the more necessary that the citizens should exhibit different conduct. I should personally regret if the people of New Zealand were so childish as to be captured by the first whiff of slander which is directed against a man who, during a long life, has worked unselfishly for a cause which ho has at heart. The phase of thought and action represented by him is admittedly becoming more prominent. Ho commands the assent of a great proportion of the public and the esteem of the great bulk of those who differ from him. Until he is proved to have committed somo act showing that he is disqualified from continuing to command our respect I will extend to him the courtesy which one accupying the position of leader of a recognised party in "the great Parliament of the Empire ought to receive, and whether I agree with him in his political views or not is besido tho question. You are quite right in saying that it takes a good deal to convince mc of the guilt of

anyone whose life has been a contradiction of what is attributed to him, and certainly the telegrams emanating from the correspondents characterised by the authority .named by mc aro jiot sufficient." Nor were the newspapers tho only virulent' ones. I received this letter from a clergyman: "I write to say that I heartily endorse the sentiments of Mr. Dobson, of tho Federal Senate, who declared that Keir Hardie deserves hanging for his mischevious' and unpatriotic and .. traitorous speeches in India, and I quite agree with tho Wellington papers that you as mayor are making a grave error in receiving that traitor Hardie as it has been announced you intend to do. If you carry out your iutention may retribution attend youi steps." • To which I replied as [ "I should like if you will supple. , ment your kind attention to mc by sending a photo of yourself. I will then frame your letter and the photo, in order that the not© may exemplify to my friends the humanising influence which the profession of Christianity has had upon one of its votaries, and so that the photo may render familiar the features of one who has studied to such advantage the Christian rulee as to judging and extending charity to others so beautifully set forth in , your letter." I even received letters from England, some condemnatory'and others approving of my action. All this venom and abuse wero found to be undeserved when the fuller reports came along, and Mr. Hardie' B reasoned and temperate speech delivered in the House of Commons after .hie return was received with fespect by the members generally and with approval by a large proportion. The ex-' tension of local administration, the freer admission of native officials, and other reforms, not forgetting the addition by Lord Minfco of two native members to the executive, all helped to sooth the feelings of, thj* .ft dissatisfied and to bring abous*tffdfr * fino feeling which *•'.' the A6,"s!ra ' etruggle. Affairs iv India at tho present time demonstrate the advantages which, follow from intelligent consideration of the governed as contrasted with repressive and unfeeling treatment. (To be continued.)