BLUE RIBBON MISSION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5097, 3 September 1884, Page 4

BLUE RIBBON MISSION

♦ The third address in connection with the above mission was given by Mr T. W. Glover in the Oddfellows' Hall last night. As before, the attendance was very large, every seat in the hall being filled. The Eev E. Best, minister of the Durham street Wesleyan Church, presided, and made a short introductory address pertinent to the subject of the mission. Mrs Lawrence sang a solo, Mr H. Johnston accompanying on the piano. Mr Glover spoke on " The labour question ; or good wages, and what to do with them." His address was, naturally, in consonance with his subject, directed to the working men more particularly. That men were better workmen without strong liquors he enforced by argument and anecdote. The main feature of his address was a contention that the manufacture of beer was not a " labour producing " industry ; this he illustrated by a comparison between brewing and the making of cotton goods. Sixpennyworth of labour was all that was required to brew a sovereign's worth of beer, while the production of the same value of cotton goods cost 16s. The labour market was ruled by supply and demand ; the question as to the wisdom of immigration in this connection was a matter he would leave with the people to settle with their Government — when they got one ; but there was no doubt that if there was a great deal of work and few labourers, wages would go up, and this should teach the working men to spend their money in labour-producing articles, of which strong drink -was not one. Ho had been told by a " cotton lord " that the Lancashire cotton mills had been closed because of over-production of goods, but if all the people who had been earning good wages had spent their money in what cotton goods they required for their homes instead of wasting it in drink, there would have been no " glut in the market " of the manufactured article. He knew one case in which the members of a family had together earned .£9 a weak for live years at the cotton mills, and three weeks after the mills were closed the mother had been at the poor-house door for bread for her children. They had made cotton goods, and spent their wages in drink, thus encouraging a non "labour producing" traffic, and help" ing to bring about the stoppage of the cotton trade. In Canterbury they had woollen factories, and they would find that if they manufactured woollen goods and spent their money in drink wages would come down. If men employed in such industries were wise, instead of striking against their masters for higher wages they would strike against the drink traffic and make higher wages, because if they did the latter successfully people would have more money to spend in the articles manufactured, and with an increased demand wages would go U P- I f the working men of New Zealand would find this " lost chapter of Political Economy," and understand it, there would be a prosperous and happy time for this Colony. If they got this knowledge, it «

would not be a power unless practically applied; and what a power would tho working men ho in the country if they not only earned money aright, but spent it aright. The address was, as usual, repleto with anecdotes very well told and very happily placed, for the most part, and perhaps the audience did not see anything ridiculous in being compared to " luminous cats," who should shed abroad tho radiant light of their knowledge of temperanco principles. To-night Mr Glover gives his farewell address in the Durham street Church.