WORKERS' DWELLINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15301, 15 November 1911, Page 3

WORKERS' DWELLINGS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sin,—lt is very hard, indeed, to beliovo that Sir J. G. Ward-would bo (so simple m to give Mr Massey credit for having been the first to introduce into Parliament tlio proposal to set apart a certain sum of money anntially for building workmen's homes. , Tho idea, according to Sir Joseph,. appears to havo been first incubated in. the • massive - intellect of MrBuddo, from which it seems to havo passed by a process known as "thought transference" to the mind of tlvo late Mr Flaltman. Then, Sir J. G. Wai<d claims to have mumbled something about it in the Governor's Speech, and then Air Massey, in his place in Parliament, moved that £250,000' should be'set aside .{or the purposo of erecting homos for .workers. Then, marvel of marvels, that prince-of Liberals, Sir Joseph Ward,' voted against it, because ho says he wanted tlu! money to lend to farmers. The facts therefore disclosed by Sir J. G. Ward in his own speech are■ (1) Mr Massey was the first to introduce the subject into Parliament. ,He ; can|not, therefore,. bo .such, a terrible enemy of the workere, as Sir J, G. Ward would like us to believe.

(2) Sir J. G. Ward opposed the idea,' because ho preferred to lend the money to farmers, than to assist the poor helpless working mdn with it.. Do workers eee the point now ? Their natural enemy, Mr Massev, tried to get a quarter of i million of money to build homes, for them. Do not they wish all their enemies were so well-disposed towards you aa Mr.MtifiEoy is! Their great and only friend," Sir J. G. Ward,, ignored" their claims," because he .wanted, the money for the farmers. Sir J., G. Ward wants us to beliove' that Mr Miwsey cares nothing for tho workers, but is entirely devoted to tho interest of landowners. Hero we find Mr Massey worliing in the interest of tho workers, and Sir J. G. Ward worklhg in the interest of landowners. ' This is no made-up story; It is in accordance with Sir Joseph's own admi&ion in his own speech. .. _ .. Do , not the workers think it is timo they gave >!ir Maesey a chanco and see what.-he would do. He cannot do much worse than is , being d,one at present. Try Mr Massey. It was Mr Massey who first .suggested placing the auditing of certain accounts, ynaer.. the Auditor-, general; it was Mr James Allen who suggested, the providing of a.sinking fund. Sir J. G. Ward only carried out their ideas. Give them a drawee. .. Let us have new blood. The-present Liberal party has become foesilieca. One of them Said to mo : " We are So strong tliat'wo have nothing to do but sit still and vote." Men so circumstanced. become indolent, careless, and thoughtless. They merely let things slide. It'would do the-Liberals good to have to do a little fighting; it would make them think out new problems. Put in the Opposition, and the thinking powers of tho Government party will lw improved by 50 per cent. They, will think out new schemes for getting back into power. That is tlie beauty of party Government. • One party tries to tliiiiK out more progressive ideas than the other, and in that way political progress is attained. What progress has been mado since Mr Scddon ■ died! Nearly £19,000,000 has been added- to tho public debt; tbat is all. The National Provident Fund was on tho stocks for yearebefore Mr Seddon died. It is so with everything. Read the speech of any Government supporter, and see what ho relics on. He relies on the work Of tho late John Ballance, tlie late Sir John M'Kenzie, and the late Mr Scddon. Ho claims support because of tiro magnificent work done by tho illustrious dead. Out of that tho preeent Government party has forged a chain which hangs round the neck 3 of the people, and is enslaving them to the past. Break that chain, and we will begin anew. Pnt in the Opposition, and the chain is broken. They will have no chain forged by dead men to enslave lis. We will onco more bo free; men with new thoughts, new aspirations, and new ambitions will arise, progressive! ideas will bo sown in a receptive soil, and the intellectual stagnation of the present, which is only relieved by pawning the country in the pawn office of I/>ndon, will come to an end—l am, etc., Gorgon Graham.