AN ADVOCATE OF HARD WORK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 235, 29 June 1920, Page 6

AN ADVOCATE OF HARD WORK

MR. E. NEWMAN AT TAIKOREA ADDRESSES THE ELECTORS In accordance with a promise made during last election, Mr. E. Newman, M.P., nddresscd tho electors of the Glen Oroua and Taikorea districts in the Taikorea Hall last • night. There was a large attendance, Mr. E. Elgar presiding. / In opening, the speaker referred to the I results'of the general election, and stated ' that in his opinion it was a. most fortunate circumstance for this country that, given ordinary luck, a sound and stable Government was assured for the next three-years. In view of the unrest existing here and all over the world such a condition of affairs would be regarded with satisfaction by all parties, except perhaps that small section of tho community, and their representatives, whoso ambitions lay in the direction of wholesale destruction of existing social conditions—a policy which meant ruin such as now existed in Russia and was threatening to overwhelm Germany. He be.ieved that the lesson to be learned from the election was that tho people of this Dominion by an overwhelming majority were determined that law and order should prevail—that the Government of the country should be in the 'hands of men of proved loyalty and capacity, and that reform and administration should bo on sound and constitutional lines.

The services rendered by tho Prime Minister (Mr. Masscy) dn connection with long and intricate negotiations over the coal strike,' the railway strike, the P. and T. Department dispute,' and other labour differences would long be remembered by tho people of this country. To make a successful conciliator in such disputes required a man to possess patience imperturbable and exhaustless, tact, and a knowledge of both sides of the question, combined with inflexible determination to bring about a settlement. The Prime Minister appeared to be one of the exceptional and fortunate men who posses? these qualifications, and in Mr. Newman's opinion they were never moro needed and shown- than in the conference between the coal-mine owners and workers.

To secure some measure of industrial rest ho regarded ns the most important objective of every British Government, including that of Zealand.. In no country in tho world, he believed,, were the employers more anxious-to meet tho reasonable and just demands of their employees than in New. Zealand. But, unfortunateiy, in this as in other countries there existed a body of men whose objective was to destroy private enterprise, to make it impossible for employers to trado profitably. Their idea of patriotism was to promote industrial, strife and unrest. Their ideal of u state was "Russia," and the nearest apprcaeh to that delectable land iu AusiraUsia (Queensland) was held/ up as an ideal for -New Zealand. This'was dona before last election, but fortunatey for this country they showed their hand too soon, and time was given for true statements to ho procured of the conditions in Queensland; and as a result the electors of New Zeoland declared that they.did not want to be like Queensland—not at any price. The Primo Minister had for long urged that a nationnl conference should be arranged of representative employers and- employees in order to discuss differences and pave the way to a better under; standing. Unfortunately tho Employers Federation had decided that such a meeting would be futile in "view of tho announced aims and intentions of prominent sections of official Labour." This was, inthe speaker's opinion, where the federation made a mistake. Prominent meirfbore of "official" Labour did not represent the bulk of the workers in their professed policy of destruction to employers and capital alike. He was convinced that much good would come from honest and open discussion between employers and workers, and he earnestly hoped that such a conference would yet take place, and soon. .'■ It could be proved that production was not increasing as it should increase in New Zealand, and it behoved farmers to get to work and deve'.op.their properties, and increase our exports. Ihere van only one real cure for.all air troubles. Nothing'would do but hard work, such work as tho early sottlers wero.not arraid to tackle. That nf.one would save the country from depression when tho prices

of. our exports, came down to normal. When that would be no one could say. He himself expected good pnees for meat and wool, and dairy prcduce for some In conclusion, Mr. Newman said he did not suggest that tho Government was perfect, but that it was honestly doing its b"st for the people.of New /erf.nnd. It, like all other governments, was ccoifronted by problems of reconstruction after the war. These difficulties had to be courageously and firm y faced and overcome. He believed they voitd bo faced and-overcome, because he had confidence in tho common sense pf tho people, and felt, that a small country liko- Hub, that had passed, as {t had done, through tho fiery furnace of the Great War, was not going to be beaten by economic cr industrial troubles. But there were two obstacles to success which he wished to warn tho peopte against: cancerous growth on the social system, known, for.want of a better name, as Bolshevism-that way madness and. dc struction lay; and. tho other was the tendency to slacken m our efforts at work -to "go slow," as it was called. He was firmly convinced that during the crucial period wc were now .entering, with the opening of the present Paiuamont, that if we would command success, we must utiidv to develop our national character en the lines of loyalty to King and Emmie. We must seek to do justice, and See that justice was done, to aU classes of tho people alike. A\e must, above all things, educate the rising generation on -deeper and broader lines than we had done in tho past; and, wo must each and all apply ourselves with the degged <letenninafion of our race to do our job in life honestly, strenuously, and faithfiiVv. - Oil the motion of Mr.' H. J. Lancaster a hearty-vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Newman for his able address, and a vote of confidence in him ns their representative and confidence in the Massey Administration. .This was seconded by Mr. Griffiths and carried unanimously. Before the meeting dispersed Mr. C..Massey, chairman of the Glen Oroua'School Committee, on behalf of tho committee and settlers of Glen Oroua, thanked Mr. Newman for "his successful services in connection with the school.