The Evening Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1871.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 325, 24 January 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1871.

In the new character of the " Poor Man's Friend" our local contemporary the Evening News essays to solve the " Working men's question" and to tender advice. As might be expected, the solution and the counsel are of the most doleful kind. We assume for the sake of argument, that according to the belief of our contemporary these men are starving, and the comforting prospects held out to them should be cherished as the words of a, tenderly sympathising friend. " Great as are the hardships of the working men of Auckland at this moment," says this cheerful comforter, " and the positive sufferings of many, they will we fear have to endure them until times mend. When that is to be, none can say." We can scarcely imagine anything more soothing. It

might be however that some still cling to the hope that the Superintendent and Council may do something further ; but thus saitli the Comforter, "The working n?en are not likely we fear to obtain any better offer of employment from the Superintendent or Provincial Council than that already made. Indeed we do not see how the Prov-incial Grovernment could so interfere with tlte labor market as to give higher wages," &c. This is exceedingly satisfactoiy doubtless, and must commend, itself to the " Working Men's Protection Society" as the correct embodiment of their principles at the hands of the Working Man's Friend. But perhaps some of them cling 1o the hope that relief will come from Victoria ; in fact the memorial to Victoria is the trump card. But thus speaks the oracle, " Our belief is that their application to the Victorian Grovernment for assistance to carry them away, will be no more successful than Avas the application of the unemployed at the Thames to the Otago Provincial Government to the same effect about twelve months ago. Things are bad enough just now in Arictoria, and were it not even so the Government of that colony would liardhj feel themselves justified in robbing any other of its population." Having thus shut up every avenue of hope, and made the world look as " dismal" as possible, showing no prospect of better times, no aid from the Provincial Council, no succour from abroad, and having brought the men thus to the proper frame of mind, our contemporary gives his counsel. And what is it ? It is the foundation of a " Working Man's Club in Auckland, not a political, but a purely social organization, for the promotion of their own improvementand comfort." Hear it ye working men^vho hangyour handsin listless idleness. Hear it ye women and little children who look abroad to see " father" coming home with food. " The Provincial Government could not so interfere with the labor market as to give higher wages," it would be a broach of the immutable principles of free trade to do so, even though families were starving. The Victorian Government will not be justified in robbing this colony of its population ; it would be a broach of the intercolonial pi'oprieties to do so, oven though the population should have but the " dismal" prospect of " heaven of brass and earth of iron." " They will have to endowe them until times mend, when that is to be none can say." But meantime let us do all we can to oppose the opening up of public works in the colony; len us denounce " Vogel" and his mission to borrow four millions for expenditure in opening up the country and employing the unemployed. When times will mend " none can say." Meantime let us do all we can to retard that event. Men, women, and little children, "you will have to endure it." Ah ! the sorry comfort ! Oh ! the dismal Vandemonianism. Establish, indeed, a " Working Men's Club." Let vuves and children spend their solitary evenings at home. " Thny will have to endure it." While you men, you with hearts that feel for them and arms that would wear out every sinew gladly for them, engage in the " promotion of your own improvement and comfort." Such are the principles of this poor man's friend! We are told of giving a stone when men ask for bread, or when men as k fish, giving a serpent. But to tell the unemployed, when crying out for work which can only be supplied at present by the speedy opening up of the public works projected, that they should establish a club, " purchase or rent a suitable building," " afford great latitude of opinion in the discussion classes of the club, and at its public lectures," is adding insult to injury, and shows such an utter heartlessness and indifference to what is really required by the men, as to be contemptible. Our contemporary happened to be commended by some of the spouters at the meeting of the unemployed. The little praise went a great way. His heart bounded at the thought of being the champion of the working men, but how to reconcile this with his opposition to the public works and the colonial loan was a difficulty. He cannot hold out the prospect of work. His denunciations of the scheme of public works, and the " dismal" cast of his mind forbade it, and the best ho can offer is " grin and bear it" and form a club.

We do not believe in the distress to the extent represented ; and we honestly state so. There is work to keep starvation off, and the leaders of the present agitation are not men requiring sympathy. That there are straitened circumstances we believe, and the present depression is felt in every class. Not one of the so called " unemployed" l:as applied for relief; not one to the Inspector of Works for employment. Still we believe that, especially among women and children, there is suffering, and for

such we sincerely feel. And it is not now, but from the day that the Government scheme of public works was first fully unfolded, that we have not ceased to urge, with all the power of persuasion we could command, the adoption of that scheme by the country, the borrowing of millions oi money, and the opening up of hundreds of miles of railways. The working man may be bamboozled to believe that this is not to his interest. But the Evening News with all the dismal forebodings that it could screech, has been persistently opposing the loan and public works, the fostering of native industries, and in so doing, it has been the enemy of the country. We care not to toady to the working man, or to any man ; but we shall never fondle him with one hand, and snatch the bread from his-mouth with the other. The colonization scheme of the present Government is the noblest that has etet been proposed to the colony. It is calculated to not have an idle hand in New Zealand, and to fill the land with peace and plenty. And in the interests of the working raaa and every man in the colony, we denounce the " dismal" bowlings of the Evening Neivs, as the product of a morbid fancy, and of dissapointed negotiations, and' as tending to condemn this colony to the degradation and contempt that characterise the history and policy of Vandemonia.