THE NEW ZEALAND WORKER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 2

THE NEW ZEALAND WORKER.

—fr— ' LOSING HIS VIM. ———♦, . IJxNCON\TSNTIbx'iL ! INTERVIEW WITH MR. TILLETT. Mr. BeiV-Tillett'' passed'through Christchurch ,yesterday on his-waytsouth. According to a voir. unconventional interviewer,-who had;;a : chnt : ivifcli liiiii oii' behalf. of Cliristchurch "Truth," ha . was, wearing the . white waistcoat of a blameless life, and was further adprneil - by, a neat -fob' chain,' and -fingered the plump cigar, of pleasing circumstances with the ,'air'of'a coiinoisseur./ 1 .. ' ;' ;; rain right, but .live ,lost my .bag,", lie saiil."i , 1 someone-thought,lie needed;:it more.'tlian you,,'', the' reporter,.:ventured cpnsbjiijgly.lsii't; that the application,; of practical Socialism?''' . . :!o 'f !' Np,' retorted • Air. - ( Tillett, disgjistedlyv '.'.That's ,uot Socialism,,.that's" capitalism; tako everythingand leave you nothing;":,'';' ;,flo was .a.sked - ; what- improvements he noticed ; iu, New -Zealand ■ since, lie'. was- here ton-years ago. .:.' 'V. >:• v -n' «'{ Well,'-.,h0 said, see -palatial buildiligs 'everywhere,.-.'.warehouses, - shops,-"'and:; publiehousos, but the worker still has to live in his miserable-little • house,. arid-' his-' : condition' is not■!much improved:' ■ ''The'.' worker''is tired; more ,tired than when 1 .was'here'before. He does not' .seem to have' the vim- he had; 'before. 1 There ; is not the : 'saine''interest in' tlie Labour organisations";' hd. , . i 'Qohesiott,' ito'i)'gfecment; upon l -ideals iin'd 'aspirations. '''Eyerybody'' tells the "Near. ; ;ZeAland ,wbrker v ii'e','is well off','"and lic'is' toff tired tp/'tliink; it-'bjit for 'himself.-' Iwould' sefc .the; Labour movement in' Now-! Zealand' pfgaiiised- uppii-.'an economic !; basis. 1 ,' I '''dim'tbelieve a'liy. 1:eal political fight l 'en' sound li.iiek'. bo niiitle';. by the workers' in' New' Zealand'jmltil the' practicability'.'of, Socialisrii'.is thoroughly 'realised.. I foresc'e/th'at : : iii,'fqur or .live-years your freehold '.parties' 'will'' ; be, .verj*'. strong, ba'cked ;as tliey are'jby. tta.'press/Vtlio. squatters! . and .interests;' I:;'can ■■'only see ' that, p.rfiventfid. a, niorp,. intense'.,ap r ' plication .of' trade .and/ibetter .p'rgan isafcion.' The Labour' party is tho' oiily.xnip -that can save the freehold to the State.", ■ The: present'i-ruling -political- part^,-'he added; was good l ;enough fbr' the -workers''on their: present. planc>'< pf:~thought; •; but' -they would' have to'demand 'more to benefit' themselves" to any material extent'. , i;''!. 1 ' "'But' what do tlio.^workers'!.want'?." :i ' •''•What "do,: th'e'y'l'want? Tliey"'wanjt'" thld earth, t-hat'sall."'^ •"'"•Having got• it', what p;6uld''th6y'dp?",":. "'-TVbll, i'loi;. ono'' : 'tliing/ S!: titey, would 1 .! fflfe greater''• seburity 'to "'all :':'tlie'''fruits,>.• oftheir labours.' tTakd,'your''bn4i r ''case?'''What. security 'have' you gpt'if !you'fall sick?"■' '' "'Well; a' holiday on'tull'pay : is the jtulo.iit; ,most',offices:''. ',' ' f "" That's good.'' B.uti'.'supposing your.' people, ; advertised .' for.'- .;anst. twenty reporters,' and a. hundred came ifter ; your ■ i6b|','.lioiylipoid you';feel f" ■ ii' J "'get 'j.tstenty. iiind'a liuiidred wouldn't-come after ins-' job.' r '. " Oh, well, your business must be different •to any.lbther.i'.Tha-b'slall-I;can'rsay: .Under Socialism you: might- ,not. have to work such 1 - ilong.hours anyway;--: --; y-w-s- ---; "'I anr doming. b:lcli lands-you, '.oan-:C'bmd ,! ilndf i repoi't me;verbatim,-'br botch'-mo'upviMyou-'liks;'/.''- !i '/ i Mr.'. Tillbtt's! broil;', 1 fras:'still visibly clouded as :hb ''steppbd tHii:trairi_ .and^soughfc tho seclusion"'of's i'' (irst-class carriage.