SOCIALISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12817, 17 March 1905, Page 7

SOCIALISM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l would like to draw the attention of .your readers to the contrast between the words and actions of the Premier of tho Australian Commonwealth and that of the Premier of New Zealand. Tho cablegrams in your issue of March 6 and 7 state that Mr. Reid intends to devote the remainder of his life to fighting the trades unions in Australia, who for purely selfish and class motives are endeavouring, through the Legislature, to strangle the individual energies of the great balance of tho rest of the community, and thus crippling the industrial system and retarding the progress of Australia as a whole. Now, our Premier, according to your report of tho deputation to him re Shops and Offices Act, is reported to have said that "The Wellington Trades and Labour Council, through the Hon. John Rigg, got the objectionable, clause 3 inserted in said Act." What a confession to make by the Premier of this colony, and Minister for Labour to boot! In plain terms it means that three or four men who form the executive of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council are dictating to the Government what laws shall be passed. Who are these men that they should thus presume? Are they men well educated Are they well versed in toe principles which should underlie all our laws? Prom what I have read of their acts I. .should answer 110 to the above. Who is the Hon. John Rigg? If your readers will search Hansard they will find that he said in the Upper House: "A man has a right to get as high wages as possible, and to do as little work as ho can for such high wages!" Sound (?) principles these! Again, ho is Acportod in Hansard to have said,

" Everyone—including himself of course— ' ought to be able to go over anyone's paddocks with dog and gun without permission of owner or occupier." If he were to come over my paddocks with dog and guns at lambing time I should hustle him off with ' my dog's, and so would any freeholder; the poor Government leaseholder dare not act i thus. Is it not about time that the trades- ; people, farmers, professional men, etc., took a more active interest and part in politics? The trades unions, through the present Government, are placing restriction upon restriction on our personal liberty, and the Government are undoubtedly undermining the freehold, thereby taking away the security for savings. At the picnic at Motutapu the other day the Premier advocated thrift to those present. What unstatesmanlike inconsistency ! The sooner the industrious and thrifty workingiuan grasps this matter the better it will be for him.. Mr. Ileid, the Commonwealth Premier, cannot check Socialism in Australia without a working majority at his back in Parliament, nor can matters bo remedied in New Zealand till the present Opposition are returned with a good working majority. With your kind permission I will try to show at some future timo how this may be brought about.-—I am, etc. t George Wilks. East Tair.aki.