SUNDAY LABOUR.

Observer, Volume XVIII, Issue 1024, 13 August 1898, Page 2

SUNDAY LABOUR.

The Fat Man's Whine,

Another dismal jeremiad on the oppressive nature of mining legislation in New Zealand has been preached by the Financial News of London. The News is a journal exclusively devoted to the interests of the Fat Man. Capital appears to be ita idol. And, with the fleios, all considerations and interests mußt be subservient to the idol which it so slavishly worships. Therefore, it is not surprising to find the Financial flews in a high state of indignation because the Government of New Zealand has Btopped the quartz mills on our goldfields from working on Sundays.

The News, in its hysterics, quotes Premier Seddon as follows :— ' Sunday labour was prohibited, but the law had been evaded, and it had been deemed advisable to introduce a law prohibiting Sunday labour in mines— except where necessary and unavoidable — and place matters in a more satisfactory condition. He would say at onee v ihat if in New Zealand or any other place the mining industry could only be carried on by the breaking of the Lord's Day, he waß not for it.' The ire of the Financial News is stirred by these straightforward sentiments. Indeed, the Isieivs thinkß it reqnires a considerable exercise of faith to expect a broad-minded attitude from the Minister who utters them.

But why? Gladstone was a broadminded Prime Minister, and Sunday labour was not allowed in the British mills and manufactories under his administration. Salisbury is a broadminded statesman. His views on Sunday labour in mills are identical with those of Mr Seddon. But probably the Financial News argues that there is a .great deal of difference between mills in civilized and enlightened Great Britain, and mills in this benighted and God forsaken country. We see none— unless it be that the mill-hands in flew Zealand work shorter hours on week-days in New Zealand than their comrades in Great Britain. Also, we have more beneficent Labour lawß. Why then should we give our' Sundays up to slavery for the Fat Man of Great Britain? Even the labourers of hia own country don't do it.

Mr Seddon is nothing if not broadminded on the Labour question. He_ has practically reduced the factory day to eight honrß. He has compelled shops to close one afternoon in each week so that assistants may have a weekly half-holiday. He has virtually secured to the workers in all tirades a half -holiday once every week. This being so, what gross inconsistency if he were to allow the Fat Man to filch away the miner's Sunday — the one day that exclusively belongs to the workers — simply in order that the gains of the aforesaid Tat Man might be augmented by the slavery of our fellow-colonists. The idea is inconsistent also with the progres-

sive and enlightened spirit of the age. Moreover,' there was no divided opinion in Parliament about this question of Sunday work in quartz - mills. To a man, the Opposition were aa strongly in favour of the" closing law as the Government were. Possibly the Financial JS/ews and the Fat Man of London don't comprehend that we are up-to-date on these labour questions— to Bay nothing of morality and humanity— in New Zealand.