Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3. 1889. "THE WORKING MAN."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5634, 3 December 1889, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3. 1889. "THE WORKING MAN."

In a country with representative institutions based on manhood suffrage, the welfare of the whole body of the people largely depends upon an intelligent exercise of the franchise. Mr Arthur in his address at Gisborne said there were only two classes in New Zealand— working-men and loafers. In a broad sense that is a correct summaiy of the position ; but there are two kinds of workers — the employed and tho employers. Which class is the better off, we will not undertake to say. In the Australian Colonies and New Zealand the workman, skilled and unskilled, enjoys greater advantages than his fellow-laborers in all other Englishspeaking countries— which are amongst the most advanced in the world. Every observant traveller in this part of the globe notices this. The United Statos of 7vmerica is a land possessing great physical advantages. Nature has endowed the States with all kinds of wealth in great profusion. As a natural storehouse, the Australian Continent is poor compared to the United States, and as for New Zealand a larger amount of capital and labor is required to induce the soil to yield up its abundance. Yet the working-classes of America are in an inferior position socially and industrially to the same classes in the colonies. The difference in favor of these communities is not owing to any difference in the system of government. In both, political power is in the hands of the people, but in the States the electors are less intelligent than is the case here, and have been led astray by demagogues, who have ever attempted set class against class, and are always prepared to sell themselves to the highest bidder. The hordes of ignorant immigrants landing in America from the Old World furnish the materials for the demagogues to work upon. Notwithstanding that manhood suffrage is the law of the land, the Government of the United States is in the hands of wealthy wirepullers, and the laboring classes are no better off than in Great Britain. Fortunately, in these colonies the mass of the community is too intelligent to be imposed upon by unscrupulous stump orators, often with very apparent selfish ends to serve.

An attempt is being made during the present contest for the East Coast seat to set class against class, but the electors are sufficiently intelligent to distinguish between true and false friends. The greatest objection that is being raised to Mr Arthur is, that he is a sheei (farmer. Surely everyone is aware of what the pastoral industry has done and is doing for New Zealand. If a heavy blow were struck at that industry, what would be the condition of the whole community ? There would be stagnation in all kinds of business, and those who are obliged to live by labor would be the greatest sufferers. More than half the wealth of the colony is the produce of the sheepfarms. That this wealth is well-distributed is shown by the high degree of comfort amongst the general body of the people. There is no rural pursuit in the world which affords better wages to the men engaged in it than the sheepfarming industry of the Australian Colonies and New Zealand. The laborer in this quarter of the globe is considered worthy of his hire, and obtains it. There is no conflict between classes, and the attempt to raise such is a most mischievous proceeding, capable only of doing harm to the best interests of the country. Everybody is pleased to see an increase on the output of wool and frozen meat ; yet settlers engaged in the production of this source of wealth are heldupasenemies of the mass of people. Surely, the electors have too much intelligence to be deceived by claptrap of that kind. It is an insult to ask the residents of this pastoral district to return a lawyer like Mr Roes to Parliament in preference to an energetic settler who has spent the best part of his life in developing the resources of the country, and who has been noted for the fairness of his dealings as between man and man. A good deal has been said about Mr Arthur's titles, but there is no one in the place who does not firmly believe that Mr Arthur's transactions with the Natives were fair and aboveboard. That was the universal opinion expressed up till lie announced himself as a candidate. Of course, the allegations now made by his political opponents are a mere election dodge. When he obtains everything he now seeks, he will get no more land than he has honestly paid for. That much is perfectly certain. Nothing would be more conducive to the interests of the Bay than in the clearing up of the native titles that are now in dispute. Labor would be immediately employed in turning the land to profitable account, and thus the working man would reap a substantial share of the benefit, whilst the production of the district would be increased.

The Harbor Hoard meets this evening. Mr Arthur addresses the electors at Patu tahi this evening.

Major Pitt arrived here by the steamer on Sunday after a long trip to the Old Country.

Mr Rees addressed a meet ing at Tologa Bay on Saturday night, and received a vote of confidence. He started for Wairoa to-day, where lie will address the electors to-morrow night.

The many Mends of Mr F. Dufaur in this district will regret to learn of his untimely death at Auckland by drowning. The deceased gentleman was for many years a resident of Gisborne, and occupied a prominent position.

At the Hospital concert last evening Mr Townley presented Mr l'Vaicr's medals to the winners of the trfcd fours in the P. B. Rowing Club, who also conquered the winners oMlie trial fours in the Gisborne Cliih. The recipients of tl>" inediils w.iT --W. Marshall. McKimu-y, Kidiuidson, Warren, and Jones (cox).

Donald Pimm- lius Ilk'd his ftohcdulo in Victoria. Tho Union HaiiU of Austwvli.i <>w» 7,H0D,0()U uoroa in Woatorn Australia. The H.B. Herald states :— The s.s. Star of England will proceed to Giaborno on Wednesday to take what frozen mutton the hulk Prince of Wales has stowed. Mr (iollan's explanation of the withdrawal of Tirailleur from the Exhibition Cup is that his instructions to Percy Martin not to accept miscarried. The Financial News says that there is no hope that Victoria will desist from further borrowing until that colony meets with a rebuff. It declares that Victorian stocks are over-quoted, and says it is absurd for the colony to thiuk of borrowing under 4 per cent. The Weslcyau Baxaar is advertised to bo hold in the Theatre Royal on Tuesday and Wednesday next, Dec. 10 and 11, one day earlier than before announced. At the Police Court yesterday morning Solomon Black, on a charge for gross indecency, was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. W. Jennings, for drunkenness, was discharged with a caution. This morning a native named Ihaia Hoheke was charged with using indec nt language while under the influence of drink, and was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment with hard labor. An assault case, B. Hircl v. M. Rice, was dismissed with costs. The charges of drunkenness, assault, and damage to a constable's shakoo, against A. Wcston, have been remanded until Dec. 7, bail being allowed in two sureties of L'2s each.