The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1900. A SOCIALIST'S APPRECIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 56, 22 March 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1900. A SOCIALIST'S APPRECIATION.

Probably no country at the present time is the subject of so much attention as is being paid to our own colony. That there are numerous things contributing to this interest goes without saying, but it will be admitted on all hands that the chief point around which interest gathers is that of our social conditions. The legislation that has brought about the present condition of things in this colony has received a large amount of attention at the hands of .statesmen and politicians in all parts of the civilised world, and has been very freely commented upon by all sorts and conditions of reformers and reactionaries, as well as by great numbers of the moderate school. As might be expected while the opinions of our critics have been most varied the preponderance has been greatly in our favour, this no doubt being due to the very successful results attending the majority (if not all) of our Socialistic experiments, many of which have been long enough in operation to stand the test of time. Amongst the latest contributions to the Press on these matters is an article entitled "The Socialist Canaan: Life and Laws in New Zealand," in the Clarion, the well-known London Socialist journal, of which Mr. Robert Blatchford (author of "Memo England")! is the editor. The writer, a Mr. W. Ranstead, has latterly settled in New Zealand, and the following extracts from his article are published- by a contemporary : —"I have come': to the conclusion," he says, " that this is the country that I have been in search of for a long time. It's a treat to live in a country where there's nothing to kick at." The writer then pioceeds to give an appreciative description of the conditions of life in the colony, and on the subject of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act he remarks:—" Think what an Act like this would mean to England." Further on in the article he says:—" All the progressive legislation of the past nine years is the work of the Liberal party, and it has proved so profitable to the country that during the present electoral campaign the Tories expressly disclaim any intention of repealing any of it. . , , One scarcely ever hears the word Socialism, but there is more practical socialism here than in any other part of the world. The people pride themselves on their plain common-sense, and they don't spend years talking about things. They are intensely practical, and manage the country's business as they do their own. . . . The State backs

up private enterprise with all the machinery at its disposal, but' directly private enterprise tries to work monopolies and raise prices, private enterprise receives a hint that there are limits to the patience of the people, and that if that kind of thing is persevered in the Government will become an active competitor. , . . Nothing

I have seen outside the British Isles cnn be compared to New Zealand as a home for Britishers. There is no part of the British dominions where agriculture, in its widest sense, can be carried on with so much certainty and with such good results, , , . My

friends are asking me when I intend to reutrn. Why should I ever leave a [country with such laws, such land, [such a climate, and such exquisite j scenery '( Here there is no aristocracy, |no snobbery. There are no very rich I people and no poor. I've not met a beggar in New Zealand or seen one destitute person. There are no slums here, no miserable, starving women, and no suffering children. Here no sober, industrious man need lack any of the comforts of life. . . . If

they keep out of factories and live on the land in the simple natural way they are doing at present, out of New Zealand should evolve the finest types of men and women on the planet." No doulit this praise appears a little extravagant to the average colonial, who is not acquainted with the conI tlition of affairs, obtaining in England juud other c ;untries, and which present] | such an unfavourable contrast to the blessings enjoyed in our own colony, but any who are familiar with the two pictures will readily pardon the tendency to hyperbole displayed by such an enthusiastic admirer of our colony i .is Mr. Ranstead shows himself to be We think a similar readiness to recognise the many advantages to be enjoyed in New Zealand might well become more general; and appreciative comment like the foregoing will be of good ssrvice in opening the eyes of colonials, as well as of oufc-iden-, to the favourable conditions under wliicli we live.