District News.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 November 1912, Page 2

District News.

EVENTS IN SHANNON. (Chronicled by Our Resident Representative). IX REPLY TO MR LEGJfiK. Still another! And this one no other than Mr 11. Leger, of the hen ranch! He can cackle the Semple chorus; the same old rasping discordant gushes of misrepresentation. A\ e have read it for months; it requires no reiteration from Mr Leger; he might have saved some printers' ink if he had just said. ''I. 11. Leger, re-echo the creed of Semple. and all who differ from it are liars and enemies of labour." 1 daresay Mr Leger has perused the latent news from Waihi ; the end of ftlie Red Federation. AVhat a deplorable end! What great things this tied Federation h.ns done for the workers bunted jailed, homelesh :md penniless, peer wretches! Yes; I repeat it : T would, without hesitation, apply the whiff of grape shot to the leaders who have led so many good men into such a deplorable condition. Mistake we not :I am sorry, very sorry, for the rank and file of the Miners' T'nion; they unfortunately let others do the thinking for them, and this has brought them sad trouble and ruin. But apart from being sorry for these unfortunates there is another aspect to the question. It is an essential of jTH (1 government and the well being

of the people a.s a whole that law iml order shall be kept. \Vlkmi the government of a country is incapable of enforcing obedience to the law. then we have anarchy. And it was in this direction (lie |{ed Federation was driving, hut fortunately, in New Zealand, amongst the workers generally, the law is respected. If I am tho enemy of labour as sot out by Mr Leger, then seven out of every teli workers in the dominion stand in the same boat a.s myself; namely, opposed to the Red Federation and lawlessness. Mr Semplo and his friends are for ever bowling about liberty; when one views the actions and hoars the threats of ihese persons, Madame Roland's historic utterance is surely applicable: "'Oh! Liberty, what crimes are committed in thv name!"

In tliis wiinf ry we have universal .i.! 1111. >nli'r;iL;'.': if the industrial conditions, require to be altered, the workers have the majority of votes and the altering lies in their hands. There is: no necessity for violence or tlie brutality of syndicalism; the persons who suiter most from this line of action are the workers themselves. The ballot box is the place to seek reform: T have preached this doctrine for twenty-five yenr.s without cessation. If any one doubts ihe power of the ballot-box let them ;\>]( some of ihe, "old timers" about the conditions of labour that were iu existence before John Ballance took Ihe reins of Government in !S!!f). Since that timo the workers have secured many reforms amongst

which are Tli.' Truok Act, Workmen's Lien Act. Land mid Tiicomo Tax. n slatutnry weekly half holiday. Old Ago Pensions. Regulations ■if Shearers' Accommodation. Early Closing, I'Vdory Act, Industrial ' 'nnrilial ion and Arbitration Act, Compensation to Workmen foi - Tnjnries. "Workmen's Wages Act, Widows' Pension Act, and many other ''M'lioficcni and Immune measures. 1 would he glad if Mr Loger would point us out some of tile good tilings 'lone liy Hie syndicalism of tile 1{(;(I Federation. The present is the time to .show u]> the flood (if any) done by this organisation; it requires a deal of bolster at tin's niomeiit. Now is your chance, Mr Leger : come to the rescue! T am sine "Brieky" Gray will second you nianfullv.