The Star. TUESDAY, FEB. 21, 1893. Labour Shows the Way.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4575, 21 February 1893, Page 2

The Star. TUESDAY, FEB. 21, 1893. Labour Shows the Way.

Thb Labour or Trades Hall Party in Mcl- E bourne is not only impressing oa the Vie- i torian Government the adoption of the co- < operative system of public works, but also ■ is making its influence benefioiaUy felt in other directions. For example, that section ', of the community known as "the unemployed" (a section that works in unison with the Trade Unions, since the latter have recognised their duty towards it) has just given to the Government of Victoria a valuable lesson in public policy. A few I days ago a deputation from the Melbourne unemployed waited upon Mr Webb, ; Minister for Public Works, and urged upon him the necessity of the Government ; \ proceeding with railway construction, in ; | order to find work for idle hands. So far, 1 ; there is nothing very novel or remarkable ; about the request ; but the spokesman of : the deputation went on to show that he and . his fellows had advanced beyond the mere ; stereotyped requeßt for " work or bread." j He suggested that the Government should \ put men to work on various country rail- | ways, and at the same time offer to the , workers facilities for settling upon Crown j lands in the vicinity of the railway lines. j In contradiction of those libellers who I affirm that the unemployed only care to j "loaf" about town and do " the Govern- ! ment stroke," he expressed the opinion that to prosecute work on suburban railways would bo perfectly useless, as it would simply attract people tothe city and add to the number of the unemployed. The Minister, as well he might, declared himself deeply impressed with the thoughtful remarks of the deputation, and expressed approval of the idea of carrying on land settlement concurrently with railway construction. Better still, the Government of Victoria has adopted the suggestion of the unemployed, and is raising a loan of a million sterling to carry out country railway extension and land settlement. That this plan should have been adopted is the more remarkable when it is remembered that the present Government is strongly antagonistic to the Trades Hall party, and that the Premier's re-election to Parliament, two or three weeks ago, was strenuously opposed by the Labour organisations. It says much for the soundness of the methods advocated by the Trade Unions when they are adopted by a Government that is avowedly opposed to the Labour Party. In order further to meet the needs of the unemployed the Victorian Government is arranging, for carrying out the reclamation of the Koo-wee-rup swamp by relief labour, in order to make it available for settlement purposes under the Village Settlement Act. 1 The land is to be cut up into small blocks, upon which the unemployed are to be 1 located, working alternate weeks on , the drainage works and in cultivating their own allotments. This is a method of working copied from this Colony, where it proved of great advantage in relieving industrial congestion and promoting land settlement. We have no doubt that in due course, the co-operative system of public works bo successfully inaugurated jn Chib Colony will be copied by our Victorian neighbours, in preference to the : " butty gang " system upon which the proposed new railways are to be constructed. The "butty gang" is a partial !, development of the co-operative idea; and, • in proportion as satisfaction has been given by the working of the impers feet plan, so will the adoption of the ' complete system give still better results. ~ These reforms, resulting as they hav3 from 7 the practical knowledge of working .men - brought to bear on the subject, go to show 3 that no mistake has been made in intros ducing working men into the Legislature, - and justify the contention that a sturdy l democracy can best solve the legislative fc and administrative problems of the day.