SOCIALISM IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10378, 1 March 1897, Page 6

SOCIALISM IN NEW ZEALAND.

[from our own correspondent.] London, January 23. Sra Henry Wrixos's book on Socialism ia exciting some attention in London. In the course of a lone; article ou this book the British Review says:-"One of the most interesting of Sir Henry's conversations was one with Sir Robert Stout, 'oneof the ablest' of the politicians of New Zealand, who, though he declined to. apply the name of Socialist to himself, described himself to Sir Henry as an uncompromising State-Colleoti-vist. ' You leave, , said Sir Henry to him in reply, 'no incentive to enterprise, and the large operations of the able man. From what you say I confess that if J were a young man, and were conscious of ability to make a career, I would not start in New Zealand when your full programme is carried out. ' Well,' replied Sir Robert,' neither perhaps would I. But institutions must provide for the average man, who has so far been negleeted.'" , Upon these utterances of Sir Robert Stout the British Review proceeds to comment as follows:—"The whole fundamental policy of Socialism is embodied in these few-words. Without the able man the average man is nothing, and the easiest way to neglect and degrade the latter is to discourage the former,, or to tamper recklessly with'his privileges.; and, iudeed, New Zealand seems alreadyto be exemplifying the truth ■ of this assertion itself. New Zealand, as Sir Henry says,; is 'the community that has distanced all others ■over the world in the race for State Socialism. . . Workers generally, and-especially settlers od the land, are generously helped by the State, laud being leased on easy terms

and money advanced. ... A labour depot, presided over by a Minister, endeavours' to find work for the wage-earners. . . . New Zealand is twice the size of England and. Wales, and its population is about equalto that of Manchester, Yet with all this, as late as June, 1895, the Melbourne Axe, which has always been favourable to the progressive policy in New Zealand, says it is deplorable to see the number of unemployed clamouring to the Government for work in Dunedin. ... A month later the Melbourne Argus correspondent from the same city wrote that the demands for employment were more clamorous than ever.'" Id a second article, the British Review devotes some further attention to New Zealand. After remarking that "there is laud in New Zealand to any extent for those who care to occupy it" and that "yet the towns are yearly drawing to themselves a constant stream of life from the country," the article goes on to say that its population about equals that of Manchester. But there is not only there an immensity of unoccupied land, but the New Zealand Government has done all in its power to assist the unemployed and the poor to settle on it, and prow prosperous by doing so. In 1894 the Government set apart £250,000 for the assistance of agricultural settlers in specially favourable localities : and yet a year later, it was reported by the leading Progressive organ in Melbourne that the true causes of the townward movement, are in reality two in number. The first is that general restlessness, common to all closes, which has been brought by railways, newspapers, and too much, rather than too little, education. The second is the growing idea that it is tlie cl uty of the State or tlie municipality to take cure of those who are too worthless to take care of themselves; and the seats of Government, national and municipal, are in the towns