MR. KEIR HARDIE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2074, 28 December 1907, Page 2

MR. KEIR HARDIE.

RECEPTION AT WELLINGTON. lAIPERIAL LABOR CONFERENCES AY ANTED. Prese Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 27. Mr. Iveir Hardie arrived in AVellington to-night, and was accorded a public welcome at a supper in the concert room of the Town Hall. ■ The ♦ Mayor, the Hon. T. W. liislop', presided. He stated that their guest in the whole of his career had excited self-abnegation and a deter-, minatdon to better the position of the class which required help regardless of his own personal interests and comfort. The Hon. Air. Rigg, A1.L.0., endorsed the Alayor’s remarks, and the Hon. AV. AA r AlcArdle, M.L.C., also spoke appreciatively of Air. Iveir Hardie. In responding, Air. Hardie said that if he believed all he had read at Home about New Zealand and its extreme policy he would have hesitated about risking his profession by being seen here. Ho conveyed a fraternal message from the Labor Party of the House of Commons. His visit to New Zealand had ho political or official significance. He was simply here to meet friends and campaigners in the early days of the movement at' Home. He urged Imperial conferences of Labor just as they held Imperial Conferences now, though Labour, which was most affected by the questions dealt with, was not represented. v ' If his tour round the Dominion served even indirectly to bring those connected with this movement into touch, and thereby making the way for a united policy in the near future, it would not have been undertaken in vain. BRIEF BREEZY INTER AHEW. NOTHING TO EXPLAIN ABOUT INDIA. NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT NEW ZEALAND. EDITORS ARE UNSCRUPULOUS CADS. PALAIERSTON, Dec. 27. A “Alanawatu Times” representative had a brief but breezy interview with Air. Iveir Hardie on the railway station as he passed through to AA’ellingtbn. He declined to say anything about New Zealand. ‘Well, aro you prepared to say something about your tour in India?” “No, I wild not-,” snapped Air. Hardie, “but what I will say is that you editors ought to bo ashamed of yourselves. You are unscrupulous cads. You can publish that if you like.” “Certainly, with tho greatest of pleasure,” responded the pressman, “but don’t you intend to explain your position and put yourself right with the public?”' “No, I don’t,” .replied Air. Hardfe, “I have nothing to explain. I am not on my trial. It is the editors who are on theirs. Remember that.”