LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2118, 8 April 1914, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

REFORM AND "LIBERAL" AS THF FRIEND Of LABOUR. Sir,—One- of the most incomprehensible phases of Bed Federation insanity (or to be- as kind as words will permit, isanitj) is tho : fierce animosity .dis* played towards any person who kns . achieved something in the way of materially bettering tho conditions of labour and (locs not snbseribo openly (or surreptitiously as the "Liberal" leaders aro doing) to the (fectriiKis of an industrial Mexico for ttoao wlw differ , from thom. The problem was puzzling me as 1 looked down from the gnllory at Mr, Fisher's meeting in the Town Hall, watching tho actions of thrco pro- . fessionnl Labour secretartes. One was . behaving himself with every rteeeijc.y, while tho other two wore actively ca- . gaged in. probably the most eSiicting work thoy have performed since Mr. Fisher's former nieetiag in St. Beto'e, Both wero palpably out of condition. Onq had shot his bolt at the stamping business, but though thoroughly Icgwcary was valiantly heating a tattoo with hjs walking-stick (perhaps presented to him for similar valorous aetio&s in the Labour cause), while life companion could bo discqrned stamping in tho !ast stiigo of flaccid exhaustion, wjini tinio lie'mopped from his rather unclassical features the sweat surcharged by that tired feeling which ■ finds its expression among your trim B«d Fed in _ shouting "Feilow workers!"—and living on them. Mr. Fisher might announce his next mooting with the heading: "Physical Culture for Tired Agitators!" - Having derated tlic best years uf a life fo the Labour movement, and given unremitting service that had a commercial take' in many other Trays to ilte cause for tie pure Wo of it— not -the passionate enthusiasm generated at a salary of anything ireni £3 ]os, to £12 per week—a familiar reflection came i<3 mo, btffc' with a sliplit variation: H.ow_ labour loves those who subtly deceive it, b«t what malice Call it show to those who honestly trv to befriend it! The example: .A roeent.Liberal Minister was in 'charge of the Government Printirts; Office for a few months, ■ during which time, representations were made t<l him by ilio staff for improved conditions.. This.was his answer as supplied by ono ivibo was present on the deputation, aii iwar as words can be repeated, from memory:' "I am prepared mi granj this and that concession ■■(naniing concessions tliaf could not morally have any effect on tlto sanio bccupa'tiiflifts iii pnvato oonoertis), but as far as tliese. ptofißsals are concerned (naming increases of wjiges for typographical employees, bopfe-biiiders, letter-press ■ hiaclnmstg, and other trades whero awards existed m pnvato cmpfoyißcnt) bocoaid aot see his way to graiit them."Asked for a reason ho stated Wandly: lou, of course, are factory workers and there are awards in your trades. Mi do anything to improve* your conditions (Sompetttioj! might-compel nrirate employers to grant equal concessions io, their employees. ' I am ijoS gomg to grant anything whidi will haw tboi effect; of mcraasing wages oaisidel'" And if this political eraftentan. who a> ptomly .admitted his cmiecni for the employers, ha<l been on tbo platform, no doubt the aileged Labour »»», sjajeetßg themselves" f<, dangerously violeet exerefso for ' persons engaged in such a tired Juan's occupation, «-oii}a hiw been fount! cheer«ig to the echo, though the nta-jOfity wese.it- who knew tho past political doetlsof the two men would have been snug in Shetf homes. ■ ■ • Wlmt was- thg attitftde of the H«i! Mi. Hjslter in■ tho same circumstances?' as a l)nvflte.,-me.inbef..Lc. .opposed increases of. salary, to highij'-paid mem-' ms of tho Public Service who had the ear of Ministers, and urged that the I money would he better cspoiided in help-1 ing those receiving a'.'bare lidjig vagc'l Among other D.cpartawnts.. he censured i the Liberal Government for its niggard-' U; treatment of Govenimeat Printiag' Offieo oßiploj-ees. After taking charge of tho Department, Jμ not mtfy wiped nut the abuses w-hieh he had coiidfluinecl in _ his • predecessor's adnijnjstratioji, o«t raised tho sfetus of factory employees to the samo level as other Departments of the Service, thus abolishing tho uiidcjiwcrntJo distiHrtions which Libwalisin had'nurtured, with-cafe <l«ring its tffenty-ouo years of office.' No "By yotir leave, Mr, Employer!" with the Hon.. Mr. Pishw, but from a sense of iustiee rectifying tho evils which he bad formerly condemned as a private I member, 'i'li© resnlfc p» ; oved that the I jadgnieiit of ihc Liberal member referred to was as had as his sympathies with tire employing class wero pronounced, the chunked .conditions having not' the slightest effect on private industries. And looking dawn ,at those parasites of the honest toilers adopting QvGry uliBrkislr and degrading iactio to prevoftt jOSieof tho nwst brilliant young nteii i N<nv Zealand has produced, and., one of i tho proved best frioiuls of Labour {nnt : £abour) having a fair cltanco to rciuto their jboliiioal caliitniiies, it occurred to mo that if their is it an 'abnormal seiiso »f'" ncquisitivxmcss ?— could ha sufneicntly restfaiiied io asls them a , pertinent question, it would bo thiij: "What have you accomplished for ■ the workers in all tho time you claim te be tjioir'frieiid and counsellor?" If the answer was truthfully gken it would bo these words: "Got a profitable and easy living out of theai!" Tho rest was mostly' sorrow for tho Writers, As for all the fuss about pledges of IreohoM and leasehold fcemrrcs in knd, those Labourites who ttorry their heads ever such matters are oiily doing tho bidding of tho disappointed 3iaiigers-on of tbo' Liberal Party—the speculators who lived on tho inan who worked the, land, and for the twenty-one years they ivefo giving away all but the barren bills now left to tlie public-estate. Tho perpetual lease, and ißaso-in-pcrpetaitj , aro'.admitted by every sano economist to bo the sfflrst bargains in teiiufti cvw entered into by the State. More Liberal accmnplißhinifntl It matters littlo to tho town workers whether those interested in land speculation are gambling in leosclioid, freetoid, or Auiericaii skie-hold. Gambling in land went on just as merrily under Liberalism as it doss Under Reform. When the- BallMico QorevnmeJit capitulate? on its proposal far periodical revaluation of the land it proposed to settle by leasehold two decades oy marc- ago tho ideal of a beneficfal kasehoid tenure to tire State was well .settled, together tvitJi a donation of about £50,T00,000 value to tho whining -side. Progressive thought iiowa» days <lo£s not worry ara'imich atent tho tenure of laiid— it, is too lat«-*4nit seeks a- {sir share of its-tribute m .taxation, If Mr. J'felier has made this a condition , of joining tto Ministry, though perhaps breaking a pledca in tiro letter, ho has move than fulfilled his obtications fa substantial ai'Mcvcßimit of the object it stood for.—l nm, vie., L ABOtralTE-FISHERie, April i, 1914. THE PUBUCSeaVIBS. Sir,'—Most well-wishers &r Ken' Zea« lwid will rejoic© that Sir. Hentaaii's Pitl;!ic SorvioD Act is in force, atid doing good work. . I myself did net tliMlic it Wfi'U,kl gco witlw-ut that gDßtk*matfs presonco""on the Birawl, and I still think that this vwmkl lißa« .ad' tantago. • Tho Act- will also, in time, iTuprave the personnel ol tlie Hmiso of KeiH'csentntives. Tlio Civil Sers-ko AsBOBsatieii is; gflwf, btit why does it not iwchitk* the Indies i« tlKs service ? _ tho fcw narfow-miiidcd ami probably incompetent effieers who obicpfc to ladies in tl» Service, aiul say "They are jjiiifo nble to take ea_fe of ihcmselvijs," should' lvnteHibor Hint it is duo oiaihh' to the inability—to }«ifc it miWly—e'f the meft. .folk it} provide far theii- dauffhlers or

sisters that the necessity forced itself j on the girls to see to tilings, Being a sport, T would lay £100 to £50 that if the commissioner would "nisn" any ono Pepartmcnti with kdios only Umfc that Department would staiid first. lii conclusion, I liopo the Commissioner will gfio tihiit there is the snjue open fair-play dealt to girls.of merit as , -to tins men, mid.that any. arranging or rearranging of the girls is submitted tvliolJ.v to Mr. i'riggs and not left to any lieutenant with tho excuse that they "aro only girls."~-I am, -etc., . NOT A SUFMUGETTEt

ORGAN' RECITAIS. Sir,—ln j-esterday'-s' issuo "Treble Clef ami JJr,' Fylfe utiliso between them exactly ono column of your sjklco to record their dissiipjjroval of -Councillor Fuller's mild mo'litm that tho city organist should express Ms"opinion as to the a-dvisafaility of readjusting his programmes, with a view to niaktajj his rrcitnls mofo attractive to tli-e- pwblie. Where in this lies Ike cause' 'lm: screech ? Councillor. Fuller's trespass on such Holy ground rm? annoy soiuo -people, but greater nmiibors will Jipipreciato the fact that in hiia thoj ; possess a re* presontaSre who is euilfictejitjy aljvo to perceive- -and 'assort the rights of the multitude in this - and other matters. Dr. Fylfe assumes that lw> knows ujo-ro about orgw-is thati (ices Councillor j , )]}- ler. That masfbe so, but does ha know more of people—people who lack Iris ottit knowledge of music Y I doubt it. And remember this, "is "iiofc a question of organs alone,, but of organs' α-iid people combined, rt'tid'as sttch it lias to b? considered., Mr. Pago's ability need not have'been referred to. That is taken for granted, Tlio question im.pljad by the motion is simply this; What do you, Mr. Page, think of tho. advisability of readjusting year ptogr-amiijes (which, oa account of tho very Jiig-it-etess nataro of the- i-innibers .included in past ■Cain' pilations, have not proved oi-traetive, to the general public), anil arranging; to insert amongst tlio classics soma selections of jnore popular' character aad dp» peal? ." " Mr. Page js hens, of course, to.givo us <rf liis best, but I ia.k'c it that Ik. , is also here to -euKiyata public taste fn matters, relating to!Siiusic.and to.2ead.it ■upwards. A stoa.ll minority aro already cultivated, whilo thetfe are etnfecs -who Jjpeteml' to ' the disikciiah. Iho.jnajerifcy requires-edttcafti-g, but- Sir., Page will. find it difficult to" educate -people, wlve'aro not present ,&t- Ms recitals, .lie must stoop. to-conquer* ■ To educate., you must first attract. ..GoUneilJdif Ful-ler's-idea that larger-audiences might conio along if tho .prOjjrammes 'iVQ.ro 'in* terspersed with. sefeetiphs. frt>in popular music of the decent standard tmwi iit "Majitana," etc., is a, good one, awl as such should -have. ; been approved, rather than /tiirned d-own. -it- has been doiio successfully ,at Sydney, I|elkrarae,'and ekow'hWo by organists, of repute. Why not Micro? No slttr is cast o-n'Jlr..- Page. The- motion measly' contained the suHSostion of a way -tj. w-hicli moro' people- might be yot to-gotiife-r to listei to his 'efforts, and leftrii to .properly' agjweciation his. skill, 'i' know MtMiiE' of fiiiher iht> cxtoat or limitation of Colni.ci'l'iar Fuller's nnisical ; knowledge, sind'l cannot sco what bear- j ing JiiJs v ; au[]eynio programme flt ttrsi . .Majesty's TJieatro Jla's'upb'n tlie fjtitstion of Mr.'.Pago's organ recitals, s?i'b that : by cbiriparison the fbrriipr ate sho'wii to larger * aiidienofj-s, jy'ljp , dcmaJid and appfccijif-e ; yau'dovJllp* f'are. ' Perhups ifi is tho kjidwlodge of 'mankind .in general and of tjio l.oia'l pttWie ie pa-rt|eulh.r, gained by' a' }oi% 'association wifcli'pftK fejisional thai has oiiahkd, Coiilicilkr duller 1» indiep-le a nath along wliieh many-might ■be led ffoni tho battorn toft higher point on tho MH of apprcciaiioil. . ; Dr. FyirVs assertion that London's teste in imusic matters, tes:-? iinprm-ed duriig tho last yoara is t-ru<?» He, however, omits to mention that tho 1 diaiigo has been, brouglit tibout-.gradu« ajlv,. and by tho. very -mca-Jis which ©oun-. ■eitlor Fufter commciuite.'and tho. doctor : decries. I'h-e gulf was bridged slowly,' in London. Wellington is expected to (cap tlio space iit owe bound. . Tbojiimp is too big, the ehasm tod ividfe. Wia't is needed is a jnHnb.er of iaiding-places in between in tlie sfnaso of ptiptila: liiKsic spots to .cnnbfe those who ea-n only stumiifo forw».rd ■ to. get to tiio higher banks beyond,—! am, etc,, DUN&BINi SWIfZERWAND, ANO PROHt&ITIGN. Sir,'—lt seems a little iinreaSQHabte fo.-f tho--Defence League to -i-ftsist sq clamoToKSly tor answers to «i«h riuMtiens as tijoy have put on-tliu -above subjects. As to- t-kd first, Professor Htfiitor, jf I remcntber rightly, isslccd: "Decs no (Canoa Garland) know that I3unodiu ctergyi^cii,. break tho Irtiv. by w-iteting the schools a.iid giving, religious B!s(*).i£'S(jn in School liours?" 11ms organising seo"(?.t?l7 iiia.y boflblo to ans'wer "W.or "No* , — l'oaituflt sajvbtit if a charge is being rtadD, why is' it Uot fannulatcd niftfo ddflnitolx'i , . lu , onv ease; what is its .nfooiso bearing en tlio proposals at' tb-e- league to ostdWJsb bylaw,, a. system of yiviversai roligioiis i.nstructien in the schools ■?. A aisnitsr vagU©«ess ni-akes the second statemeiit diffipult to deal with.; Ctrtou Garlaftd is alleged, to Iviive apjn'ovcd af tho "Sdctariaii" system in Swiss schools. When and whcro'fcaf lio'donp so? Tlie pa-i-ut in quoting Switzerhvml has -beoft to show that thero tho referendum bits bow successfully .'afiipHcd' to religious' , sssiws. In tho tliird place, , -Canon. Garland's reforeneo to P'rabibitien lias been tetyvHy misunderstood/ 1 .heard the of Canen'Garland when the reforence- was made. Bo stated that he was not sayiiijj that one side 6r tlio other was tight or wrong, but that- with many people" on botli siqcs.this Was regarded as a and voted upoii, from religious ewirfctions. • Tlio stentorian demand for the C-lmrcli of En& land's clecisio-ri as to l'roli)ibrtlo.H n rwKzJiiiß'ly irrclft\wiit'. I thiift it- is welt kriow-n that the Otorch of England ieives tho (jiiestion to Giiecs of its- members. The \%ws. of such leading persoi-vs as Bishop -lulitis and Archdeacon Willis aro *q»ally Weil known'. When such sppftt sttpiibs as the«c questions ate all that opponents have to liuri at nottors, the' latter may wtftrtain littlo doubt as to tlm isuccirSs of their n»vc-