WORKMEN’S WAGES ACT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3048, 10 November 1896, Page 2

WORKMEN’S WAGES ACT.

The working men of Totmika had an object lessou set before them last Saturday which ought to open their eyes. Mr Flatmau,a few days before,reminded them of how iu former days workmen were frequently defrauded of their wages by contractors who took contracts too cheap and were not able to pay wages, or who cleared out as soon as a progress payment was made. He reminded them that the Liberal Government had provided for this under the Workmen’s Wages Act, and that now no icoutractor can defraud them. On last Saturday morning a number of workmen were to be seen at a certain place iu Tomuka receiving their wages under the Workmen’s Wages Act. We do not wish to say anything to hurt any one’s feelings further than to remind these men that it was the present Liberal Government passed this law. From the institution of responsible government until 1893, hundreds of working men were in this way swindled out of their wages, but though the Opposition party dominated politics the whole time, not a single man lifted a finger to protect the working mau’s wages. The statute law of New Zealand is over- crowded with laws relating to lions, mortgages, bills of sale, and every kind of device to protect the man of wealth, but the working man was ignored. He was not worth taking into account. The present Government have, however, taken the working man into account, and passed a largo number of laws to improve his position, and yet wo hear people say, What good has tho Government done i Go and ask tho working men who were paid their wages, amounting to close on £2OO, last .Saturday under the Workmen’s Wages Act. Go and ask them what they think of the law that protected tboir wages I Will they vote against a Government that has given them such a law ! Common honesty ought to have suggested such a law long ago, but it did not, audit was not passed until tho People’s Government were returned to power. Even then resistance was ottered to it, and the Legislative Council made an attempt to spoil it. Pul they were foiled in the attempt, and it was placed on tho .Statute Book by tho present Government three years ago. Now there is not a working man in New Zealand who is not benefited by that, and no human being is the worse of it. There are many other laws passed by tho

present Government which have greatly benefited the people, and done nobody else harm. That is what Liberalism does. It looks after the interests of the people at large, while the Opposition looks after the interests of the propertied classes. At any rate the Workmen’s Wages Act is a great blessing to working men, and last Saturday’s proceedings ought to bring it forcibly before their minds.