Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1919. THEN AND NOW.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1919. THEN AND NOW.

Turning over some back files ,tbe other day we came across the late R. J. Seddon’s election manifesto of 1905 the year in which our master Premier swept the polls and practically wiped, out the then “Opposition”. Mr Seddon’s manifesto was a lengthy document—typical of the man. It was a. long statement of fact, recording what the Liberal Government had done for the mother and the infant, the young, the worker, and the old and feeble, and the deeds were passed in review, and with the effect that is recorded in our • political history. Human nature was just the same fourteen years ago toas to-day, and the problems then are> j still tho problems now. Many of them, are more accentuated no doubt, but the 'economic law was in. operation tho same as to-day, and the statesmen had. to deal with the problems as best they could. There is one sentence iir. Mr Seddon’s very human manifesto, which rings ns true to-day as ever; perhaps more resounding for conditions, of life are more acute. He said : “Thenominal wage may rise, and the rear wage fall. A man’s real wago is what it will purchase; and if the cost, of living increases, tile real wage dimi- 1 nishes.” That is very true of to-day, j and is being exempified on all aides. I

Fourteen years ago living was beginning to increase in cost. Rents had gone up, because as Mr Seddon said “society- creates high land values, and .therefore high rents,” and he believed that the State should as far as possibe protect the worker from the economic law. But being a law, it became inexorable and could be dealt with palliatively, Mr Seddon strove to stem the economic condition created by society by the Workers’ Dwelling Act, and financially it can only be said that it succeeded but partially. But there was one important way in which it brought better conditions for the worker, and that was in the improved style of dwelling. There were better ! sanitary provisions about these workers’ dwellings and the increased comfort was not for the workers only, but for their wives and children also Still the cost of living question obtruded then as now, and in these days it is intensified by the stringency put upon ’the markets through war conditions, and the dislocation in producton and .trade arising from the period of belligerency. The cost of living is going to become more and more intense in many respects and whatever party climbs into power at the coming general election will find that there is no royal road • to a material and sweeping reduction. There are economic laws surrounding the whole question. The chief factor is largely generic beginning at the very commencement —production. I Production alone will tend to reduce prices and give a stable market. A ( shirking of work, a lessening of output a want of operatives, a famine in apprentices, all tlie-se ways will tend tc * decrease production, and will add tc the complexities of tile situation. Nc government can hope to meet a case where the workmen will not co-operate reasonably in assisting to maintain : proper output. This is what the coun ' try is coming up against now, and i is time that the workers realised thi position, and discovered that they havi a part to play in striving to attaii ’ the end for all good government—th« greatest good for the greatest number If that duty is shirked, avoided o I otherwise not fully comprehended tli [ difficulties and cost of living will b added to, and the general state of coun try will continue to he on® of social un rest. •'