LABOUR'S POINT OF VIEW.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8469, 22 June 1907, Page 7

LABOUR'S POINT OF VIEW.

(By Demos.) THE MASTERTON WORKERS' LEAGUE. The formation of the Masterton and Land Settlement League ia a step in tho right direction. It is rather surprising that such a League was not formed years ago, when, perhaps, it might have done more in the matter of land settlement than the League can at present accomplish. The people of Masterton, JJor rather the workers of Masterton, seem to have been very dilatory in regard to their own interests sine;; the Liberal party came into power. Where is the "closer settlement" in the Masterton electorate that one would expect to find? Other electorates have their share, especially those electorates represented by Government members, but Maaterton has been left out in the cold. The town of Masterton has a postoffice and a railway station about ■which we have heard a great deal, and, to judge by the manner in which I these public buildings have been 1 talked about, one would think we had no right to either the one or the other. The peoplo of Masterton, however, have been very distinctly made to understand that they have a post office and a railway station and that the Government has erected them. Poor heavily-taxed people — there they are, marvellous edifices, and the accommodation which each provides is really inadequate to the demands of the community. Improved accommodation has been required at the Masterton railway station for a long time past, but no one knows when we shall get it. It will possibly come about with the establishment of a State Coal Depot. Wanganui, by the way, has a State 'Joal Depot. It is, of course, gratifying to "know that Wanganui has a State Coal Depot, and the Masterton Workers' League should make an effort to find out how it was secured. There appears to be insuperable difficulties in the case of Masterton, but are these difficulties real or merely political? Apropos of the sale of State coal, the League, in my opinion, would do well to agitate for a reduction of the freight by the railway in connection with the carriage of coal. Coal can be purchased in Wellington at 21s per ton at the ship's side; but by the time it is railed to Masterton, the actual cost, before it is shifted from the trucks, is over 30s. It is most unfair to the . dwellers inland that the carriage of ; coal, such a short distance as that between Masterton and Wellington, should make the price of the coal 50 per cent, dearer to the local consumer than it is to the Wellington consumer. DesDite all that has to be undertaken to win the coal from the interior of the earth, it can be sold in Wellington at 21s per ton; yet the little extra carriage that there is to bring the coal to Masterton does, as has already been explained, add 50 per cent, to the price. Such administration on the part of the Government cannot possibly be justified. The railways belong to the people, and wherever the interests of the people generally are affected, freights should be as low as possible. There are other matters, too, in connection with the railway tariff that should be considered. I would suggest to the Workers' League that they could very profitably find time for discussion in acquiring information 'in regard to railway freights in which the workers are specially affected. ( But to revert to the' League's platform. It is broad, non-political, and practical. The definition of a worker is, rightly, as broad as it can be. Workers' dwellings, closer settlement, and in fact all questions in which the town and district as a whole are interested, come within the scope of the League's [deliberations. It is to be hoped that the movement will be carefully fostered by those who have promoted it. It cannot be expected that, at first, it will attract a very great deal of public attention. It is the duty of the League to educate the public in regard to what its objects are, and its influence will grow, and it may accomplish a great deal of very beneficial work when once it has got a good hold of the public sympathy. The chief duty of the League at pre-1 sent seems to be to promote discussions upon questions of public interest; but, no doubt, occasions will arise when it can take definite action. A case in point is the decision of the Executive at a meeting, held this week, to protest against the increase ! in the price of flour. |

For Children's Hacking Cough at night Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Is tid and 2s Oil.