THE CHILD SLAVES OF THE DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 8 November 1907, Page 2

THE CHILD SLAVES OF THE DAIRY.

TARANAKI CALUMXIATURS CIIALLEXdKD. WARM DKIiATK IN TilK lIOCSI2 OF RHPRKNKXTATIYKN.

Reference to the recent remarks of the Chief Justice aneiil child slavery in! Taranaki was made in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Tlie Minister's reply to a question on the subject put by Mr A. L. D. Fraser was that inquiries had been made, which went to show that, whilst it was true in some instances thai color had been given to the charge, it was not general in its application. Mr Laurenson made tlie lirst reference to the siil |eet. ]le declared thai children on dairy farms had to work during hours which rendered them practically unlit for following their studies at school, and which acted in a very detrimental manner on their physical and mental powers.

Mr Symest The statements are absolutely untrue. Mr Laurenson: T know that members arc prepared to say that. Mr. Jsyn'tS: I live there. Mr Laurenson: Cow members are bound to say that, because if they don't fliey will get into conflict with the farmers they represent; and when a statement like that is made by the Chief Justice—(Mr Symes: Tic knows nothing about it) —a man whom every one in the House and in the country respects, a man of high humanitarian impulses, it deserves a great deal of consideration, and to be treated with a great deal more respect than it has received from some of the irresponsible individuals who have criticised it.

Mr Laurenson went on to say that ail article had appeared some time ago in one of the most widely read of the papers in Australia, and the writer had stated exactly what the Chief Justice had said. The writer of that article gave day and date for every one of his statements. He gave statistics. He gave statements made by schoolmasters, by dairy factory managers, by people every day of the year. According to the writer's statement the whole thing came to this, that the price of land in the ilairing districts of Australia was so high that the holders had to work their children so as to enable them to l»ay their way. Before next Parliament he would be in a position to give statistical information to the House,

.-Hid ho believed that the time was coining—ami coming very soon—when tlwy would appoint a. commission to inquire into labor matters in dairying districts. He liolievod that the result would he the revelation of such a state of affairs as would arouse the most apathetic and sweep to one side in an instant the opposition and cavilling of members for the districts where this state of tilings prevailed. Mr. Alassey remarked that he was sorry so much publicity had been given to the statement credited to the Chief Justice, that the children of Taranaki were worked to death. He had seen a great part of Taranaki. lie lmd travelled through it, he had visited most of the centres; he had seen thousands of the school children there; and lie was absolutely certain that the children of Tac.tnaki would compare favorably, so far as education and health were concerned, with the children of other centres or from any other provincial district. They were well fed and well clothed, and were receiving a better education than most of the children in other parts of the Dominion, lie believed that the people of 1 aranaki would welcome an inquiry, and he believed also that, if an inquiry were held, Taranaki would conic out with flying colors. -Mr. .Icnnings challenged the remarks made by Mr. Uturenson, who, ho declared, knew nothing about the question. He (Mr. Jennings) ,spoke t'l-oiu personal knowledge. He had lived among these people almost throughout the whole ol Taranaki, aud lie had never seen anything of the kind that had been represented by some of those extremely sensitive, highly-paid Government servants. He challenged the member for Lyttclton and the Government to set up a Commission to investigate this matter. As he had said before, they would probably find isolated instances of hardship; they would find those in Wellington and in every part of the known world; but it was preposterous to say that a man working on the land should not at times use his children for the purpose of doing a little work. Ue remembered the late Premier saying to him on one occasion with regard to the cry about youngsters not working: ■'What had most of us to do? We had to start early." lie (Mr. Jennings) had had to start early. lie was milking cows when he was eight years of age. It was absolutely absurd that such statements should be made time after time. No doubt the price of land was too high, not only in Taranaki but in oilier parts of Xew Zealand: but what was done recently by the Minister of bands? Bush land was put up at Dannevirke at £S lt)s per acre. He ventured to say that any man who knew anything about felling and clearing and sowing bush land, and who took it up at ;Cft 10s an acre, even if it was the best land in New Zealand, would soon find himself in ditliculties. The price of land was not only sent up by the wretched speculator (on which he would put a stop to-morrow, il possible), hut also by the price that was being put on it by the Government. The l'l-eniiei- remarked that the inspectors recently appointed by the Department _ of Agriculture would be specially instructed to inquire into and report upon the question before next session, and on that account lie thought the discussion might stand over. He believed that the parents of the children |-'t I aranaki were as anxious as parents in other places to see that the children were properly looked after.

"I his is a slander upon Taranaki," remarked Mr. Major, who endorsed Mr. Jennings' views.

-Mi. Synies entered a protect against the unwarrantable and imfoimcled statements made by the Chief Justice, and lie added that lie was moVe than surprised that one holding a high . vm i j ln . porta lit position such as Hint gentleman iield should make a statement absolutely contrary to fact. What did he know about the price of land? Jt was high lime that he was more careful of his Niels. As to the member for Lytlelton he (llr. Symes) was tired of hearing the IVcksnillian pillle'' delivered to members of the House whenever lie fot up lo speak. One would think lie was the only pure-minded Individual iu the Dominion: that he was the only one who took any interest in anything but niiu.-ielf; that tlie oilier nicminu's were a pa.'k of -elfish vagabonds, who ought not to be ill the House or in the country; and that hi* word alone ought to be taken. Mr. 1-aurensou had dared members from Taranaki to tell the facts. The members from Taranaki were not afraid to state facts, whether they were against the settlers or not. They never shirked doing their duty The member or Lyttelton knew absolutely nothing of what Tie was speaking about. 11 an inquiry was necessary, no one would welcome it more than the members for Taranaki. If l le saw i an) white slavery he would be the verv[ lirst lo show it up. There was nothin» o! the sort, and he challenged the men" ber for IMtclton that he (Mr. Symes) would produce from the Taranaki distiict children who for intelligence and decency would compare more than favorably with children from any other part of the Dominion, He would back them for any sum of money Mr. l.aurenson liked, the winner to hand the money I over to some charitable institution. He! challenged the Chief Justice on the same lines.