LIBERALISM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 52, 25 November 1919, Page 3

LIBERALISM

ITS ASPIRATIONS AND ACHIEVE.MENTS. ' (Published by Arrangement.) (No. 11.) Wages Protected, The same principle of subordinating all the abstract theories of Conservatism to the general welfare was illustrated in tho Truck Act of 1891. Up to that time, an employer could make money out of his men by forcing them to tako llieir wages in part in the form oi' goods that ho sold or commodities that they helped him to produce. Tho Truck Act made wages payable in money only, and tho jnwi wero freo to buy where they liked at riiiing prices. Naturally there was further outery at this "interference" of Government with the ■employers' "right" to cheat the wage-earner. But the champions of Liberalism'had .their answer always ready—it was "government for tho people." And so they went on to protect the wages of men working for contractors. In 1592 tho Liberal Government passed through the Legislature the Contractors' anil Workmen's Lien. Act, giving tho worker absolute security for his wages. Sweating Abolished. Most people nowadays have forgotten that at that time—less than SO years ago—factories and shops wero efmductcd simply on a go-as-you-please system, and entirely in accordance with the employers' views and interests. Generally speaking sweating was rampant. Women and young pcisons were \ietimi?ed by overwork on a starvation wage, sanitary conditions depended entirely on tho employers' tastes. Protection against accident from machinery was almost unheard of: horn's were enormously long, wages were tor the most part absurdly low, statutory holidays were remarkably few. 'Die Literal Government began at onco the process of reform, and in IS9I it passed its first Factories Act, applying in all its provisions tho one invariable test of the people's welfare. .It protected children and young people working iu factories, limiting their hours within reason. Moreover, it fought for and secure'd sanitary conditions and a weekly half-holiday. In the next year it struck the shops, and .aroused even stronger protests than It is well to remember this, for tho thing was typical. Every attempt rtt change was met in that, way, not only in the'mutter of factories and chops, but all along the line of Liberal achievement. The New Upper House, Another matter that the Liberals took in hand in this eventful year was tho reform of the Legislative Council. In those days tho Upper lloiiso was the main bulwark of Conservatism, chiefly k'causK'of tho system of life tennro. Tho Liberals first nominated a number of Labour members, then cut down the term of office to seven years. This change was a, real reform in the interests of Deraoercay. Anil Liberalism is Democracy, first and Inst and every time.

Tho Now Land Policy. Tho framing of the Land Act of 1892 w« the' next important reform. This great and good work was begun by Sir John M'Kenzie, tho Minister of Lands iii tho Ballance Ministry. To encouragu sdtlement', with security of tenure and help fo all from the State was the one great object at which tho Act aimed. This great measure preserved most of tho existing tenures; abolished some, amended others, in the direction suggested by Libera! principle, and added new one?. Among tlie-ro was the lease ill perpetuity, which made the holders tenants of the Crown, under the control of the Stale, which insisted on residence and fixed the conditions of cultivation. The disailvantneo—it was the object of much hostile criticism in the beginning—was that the tenant obtained the unearned increment. In the end. M'lvenzie prevailed, after a tremendous strutf-'e in the' Legislature the incident" of which will he long l-e- - The result of his victory wm t.ho immediate spread of settlement, and if. was -encouraged Inter bv the scheme of financial assistance devised by tho Liberal Government for the benefit of the settlers. Eip Estates Broken Up. Another great achievement on the part cf the democratic Liberal Government was the Land for S'-"- | th."l- \r L to wed in tho same year, under which the State obtained the power of aci|Hiring landed estates for closer settlement comnulsorily, on terms fair to the holders. The leaae-in-perpetnily was the tenure applied under this system. Thousands of settlers acquired good homes, mil I ions of money were applied to the purchase: from tho start to the present time failure • was rare and default a negligible ciuantity. I The triumphant success of Cheviot and other settlement estates thus acquired remains a standing proof for all -time, of what can lie done, in spite of opposition, by "Government of the people, .by tho people! for the people." Cheap Postal Rates. In the first Ba.llanc-3 year Sir Joseph Ward signalised his tenure of the Post Ollico portfolio by passing the Pest Office Ad of 1891 which g.ivo us inland penny postage, and gave wider use to the postal system. It was the beginning of a great career. In bringing down that, measure Sir Jo?eph, as ifr. Ballaneo's youngest lieutenant, was merely proving that Liberalism, like Democracy, forgets nothing and neglects nothing that can bo to tho genM-nl community. | This wns but the first of the many j special neh.'ev?meiHs by which Sir Joseph I Ward iuHitnd hi.s ; m ,! iHin in the IM- | lance Vinistry. and won his claim 1o be r'".ra r <lrd es nn. i'vlisivunblo factor in all Lihew.l Minij'triefi for the future. (To he continued.)