TO RESTRAIN GREED. MR. TREGEAR ON THE LABOUR MOVEMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 94, 22 April 1911, Page 9

TO RESTRAIN GREED. MR. TREGEAR ON THE LABOUR MOVEMENT.

REPLY TO A PRESENTATION. [BY TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, 21st April. At a social function held, in connection with the Trades and Labour Conference, Mr. E. Tregear, ex-Secretary of Labour, was presented with an illuminated address, and for Mrs. Tregear a purse of sovereigns. Mr. Reardon, president ol the conference, in making the presentation, said that the sentiment which had actuated them all in regard to the present gathering was the knowledge that behind the cold hand of the official was the great heart cf the kumaiu> tarian. (Applause.) It was that know ledge which had endeared Mr. Tregear to them. They had also the knowledge that Mr. Tregtar was now a free man, and able to come out and take up work which he could not previously take up. Ho was sure that Mr. Tregear had done his best to steer labour legislation in the direction they so much desired. He was one of those men who in other walks of life would have earned for himself a very distinguished career. Mr. Tregear had a heart of gold. He (the speaker) was pleased that the executive of the Trades Council had not forgotten that Mr. Tregear had been assisted by a noble wife, and it gave him great pleasure to present to Mr. Tregear, on her behalt, a purse of covereigns. There was a great demonstration, the audience cheering Mr. Tregear. Mr. Tregear expressed his heartfelt thanks for the kind words the chairman had said about Mrs. Tregear. The gift ot money was also a very precious one. It came to him sanctified by having passed through the hands of working men and women. He would nol accept it if he did not hope to be able to do something -with it for the tender-hearted and generous people who had given it to him. He had a high opinion of the workers of New Zealand, and he knew that what New Zealand did to-day the world did to-morrow. (Applause.) Some bitter attacks had been made on the Conciliation and Arbitiation Acts. He had been silent for twenty years— (laughter)— and now he wanted to tell them his real position. Until the workers were actually and .practically determined to make an end to the competitive wage system they would never find a. principle so just and sane as that of arbitration. That was his opinion twenty years ago, and that was his opinion still. The arbitration system ,did not belong to the past, but to the future. What had they to propose in place of military war? International arbitration must be higher law. (Applause.) Industrial war was ten thousand times more deadly than military warfare. In mines of 'Great Britain a man was killed every two hours and a man was maimed every forty seconds. It had been stated that out of the total number of men employed on tlie Greymouth wharf 67£ per cent, were injured • out of 160 no fewer than 112 had been incapacitated. Industrial war was less fair than military war, as the Killing and wounding was all on one side. In a trading concern of 160 shareholders, there were 112 killed or injured while drawing their dividends. (Laughter.) Was not the killing of men for profits as dreadful as the killing' of men for the flag? The machinery of arbitration had been put into the hands of human beings to carry out. Was it any wonder that there were disappointments and heartburn? In regard to the Arbitration Court and all the court 6, the ballot would be in the hands of workers like a whip of knotted cords in the temple of God'e justice. Mr. Tregear traced the beginning and development of "trade unionism, and contended that the present position was one of industrial warfare. Unionism gave men a training which fitted them for public life, and gave them a valuable educational training. The Labour movement was a movement to restrain outrageous greed. The working man was often accused of greed, but the accusation oame from those whose lives and souls were rotten with greed. (An plause.) _ The Labour movement was 'a new civilisation. He wanted to find brotherhood, not only in church- and polling booth, but to take it across the wages-line. They must be brothers on the working day as well as on Sunday;' brothers in the mine and factory, ac well' as in the church. The -workers had to be formed into unions, unions into national brigades, and national brigades ; into international , armies of peace — (applause)— armies which loved mercy, _ but which were determined on equity. (Applause.) He believed that the wickedness and greed 'of the J present system would bring down a war of a most devastating character. The nromoters of the Labour movement believed in the ultimate victory ot, light over darkness. In his peroration, Mr. Tregear said that he could see Labour cane and alert. At last Labour's hands were 'going to be strong to give the wovkec the full regard of his work. The horrors of industrial war would be trampled down to the hell from which they came. Mr. Tregear concluded his speech amid rousing cheers, and a renewal of the demonstration which -had preceded his address.