THE TOILERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 4

THE TOILERS.

. \ Sir,—ln' your issue of -the 2'2ncl, : I observe that in a speech at - the, opening coromonies of tho Labour -Department's headquarters, -the Primo llinr»t(Sr> stated that tho condition of the pcoplo of..New Zealand' was "incomparably .bettor- than that of the . people of' Great Britain or tho United .States." Much depends upon tho ;viewpoint .of such.odious' compari- 1 sons. Speaking .impartially,, and: considering tho age, density of population, cost of-living, etc.,. I think the. actual facts do not bear out Sir J6sep)i Ward's swooping statements. He must feel himself sore pressed when ho is obliged to resort to such rhetorical, bunkum in defonco of legislation- that none of tKe great leading countries of tho. world has seen lit to adopt. In fact, tho Trades Union Congresses of • Great 'Britain: and the : Unitod States havo rejected tho proposal to ".establish compulsory arbitration -and i condition of .industrial dilutes. As to. ,i

tho boneiicent elfect of this system, in flat contradiction of Sir Joseph Wiujd's, roseate view is Mr. Seddon's pronouncement, speaking before the Federal Labour party at Sydney. Mr. Seddon.said: "AH the labour legislation that we have adopted has only benefited the capitalist and land-owning, classes." Sir,,. Joseph Ward.may amuse himself . by! . talking about "prosperity;" and if ho is; alluding to the horclo of officials that this labour'. legislation. has established, at the public expense,,he may bo. correct, but;it' lias conferred no real benefit oil-the working classes,. the arbitrary increases of ..wages being nullified by rising rents and. increased cost of living. The labour laws havo completely . broken doivn in . practice.;, They,. must go .by the;b'oard; and with;'them tho decayed' liberalism:,of'Sir' Joseph Ward' and, his misfit Government. —I am, etc., ■ - VERITAS.;