The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1925. THE LABOR ASPECT.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1925. THE LABOR ASPECT.

On .Saturday night at the Town Hall. Mr 11. K. Holland. Header of the Partininentnrv l.abor Party, addressed a full meeting, and received an attentive hearing. I lit l address was remarkable rather lor what it did not contain. It was not a general exposition ol the Haber policy as is being expounded other platforms just now, and i liiei < t all there was not any reference to the all engrossing seamen's strike so nnn h ill the public mind at present. It was as though Mr Holland trimmed his sails for the occasion, and spoke as might please a Hokitika audience. In doing so lie developed some im onsister.cies. but lie never tailed in bis Uncut address to h se tile attention of his audience. It was as though bis auditors were expecting him to lead up to a climax which never came, it tailed t » materialise. The speaker harped a good deal on the achievements of the Balance-Seddnu Ministries, and Mr Holland's policy, as far as he expounded it. was based practically on that of the Liberal-. A revision of taxation, cheap money, less borrowing and so on. were all planks which the i.ihera's put into practice, and the country derived great Iwneht. But though the laterals achieved all that they aimed at. Mr Holland took pleasure in believing that the Liberals were now heading to their doom. Yet. in the next breath, he proceeded to point out how Labor was building on the work of Seddon. and in his final peroration pleaded that the electors on polling dnv should not blackleg on R. J. Seddon by voting the T-al-or member for Westland out of Parliament! Surely it was a remarkable plea, because earlier Mr Holland was not a I we throwing political jibes at the son of R. J. Seddon now contesting the "Westland seat. It would appear that Mr Holland in particular, and Labor in general, arc rather fearful tljat Labor»is

going to lose tlie Westland seal. Hence, we lmvo the Hying visit of Mr Holland to speak for.Mr O’Brien, and tile strong plea lie put forward for the sitting meinher. The address from Mr Holland was largely a [ilea for the sitting meinl/or's: re-election, and to win the support of the local public there was quite a considerable coloring "I the late li. .1. Seddoti. Tin- policy outlined mi Saturday night relating to Imrreuing and taxation was ■ 111 i in keeping with the Liberal professions. As regards the land policy the explanation given was tar removed from that expounded by Mr O’Brien here, previous to the sitting ot Parliament. Kit her Mr Holland has found it necessary to tone down the policy, or he has left very much unsaid. There was room and to spare, to speak of the seamen’s strike, hut Mr Holland’s, silence on the subject could he felt. .\.» one aiming to lead politics in New Zealand. the audien e had a light to know his attitude in administering the law and maintaining order. In the absence of any explanation, i- it to he inferred that he would act if I.ahor Premier here, ns the Labor Premiers are acting in Australia 1 There. Labor Premiers are not cooperating with the Federal Clovornnient in maintaining the law. and m some instances the Government forces have omitted to maintain order. The ruining election in regard to which Mr Holland is making himself so busy, is one in the first instance to assure National Security. If he and the candidates he supports are anxious for the support of the people, they must needs make it plain that ihe law ol the country will be for the protection of all. and must he o hserved. At one stag.- of his address on Saturday night Mi Holland had something to say about a dictatorship. That suggest ion should have tailed lo Ids mind the dictatorship which bahor unions enforce on the people with iheir strikes: But lie did not carry the analogy to that extent. He stoppied short where if suited him, even though the small farmers for whom he was so concerned in regard to taxation and similar maltors were in jeopardy ol having tlieir whole season's return:- ruined by the hold-up of the prodiae for the London market. U the moment there is a strike of coal-miners going oil in Mr Holland's own consl itm-ney. lel the member never uttered a word oT advice or counsel to help setlk: a simple dispute. which, besides seriously alleeling Ihe men and their families is helping to ruin a nationalised coal mine. 'I Inexperience with regard to the conduct of labor in the nationalised coal-

mine is siilliciein lo warn any sane goi eminent I’rcni dabbling further in ex peri men ts m nul iouali-ai ion The lac loir aspect in the pres -ut elec I ion si i lulo lie 10 ti v and I• ml the Liberal'. 11 was the Liberal' who gave tin- masse.-

the great npp il l unity lo improve themselves with sound labor laws, which if respected would meet fairly all disuutVis. Mr Holland in his re|ereu e to eeoncniics on Saiuidax night said eunuch In show that wealth can e one alone I loin -am-ly dir eled Labor, cud knowing Hint, lie might well have advised the striker- whether on sea

or land, lo respect tlmir agreements. Yet instead of creating re wealth |,V st cad.' I I mine! ion. Mr Holland '.-.mild iei> .hi capital and reduce ,:1 10 i < 111 pew el i-I lew aid I.a hour. I•. jepiete ealital In way ol undue taxa--1- 0 or dii-ei 1e• \ will carry M'lioitI oil:eqllenres. am! w iiel e money i., Hi.s 1 l 1 1• ■l\ lest in that way there is not .my pallialiie to make good tlm posi--1111 . t tie si- who will Sillier. 1 11 I lie lot l lie mil's to-day I hen- is a • Imil u t ioii from om- oi 1 t enner lkdd,.lo s s ~- 11l s al 111 li e. it is normat IS ( -sent mi. ami 11 1 ■ truly recta la, a 1- t -ill I 111 111' -s t 1..' b 'l' Spra ell- s lie gospel ' f wel-k |S sehi.Jin Used a- a text to remedy the ill- "I the times, tint any t hing to n ade t imt - übjc lis - 1. .-l on with avidi Iy. ji 1 -IJ.It It Ino 10 a re .011 pul. piol'le-11l- •fI 1 o 1 111 " , I'-1 I'-wel- roinal-ks , : .a 1 M... 1. |."lignum and Co. have ju-t published al wnat may generally 'c .-.in-ideied an o,.pollune mouieiu a loi 11 me on Imperial matters, national, racial and economic. It is called : “ I he British C. Million wonll h and n- I iisol.ed I'lohlems,’' and is an honest, straight lorward presentment of the ditlieiillies the Home Guv eminent a 1 e confronted with in trying to bring into ha r uion iu us working the eonllieting interests Ot the sensitive sell-govern-ing dominions, tin* various Crown Colonies. India and the Mandatory ennnIrn--. Knelt ot these division' lias, also its ow n problems to work out ; South Africa the black and white. Keiiva Colony black, while and brown, and the All White policy of Australia, to mention colour alone. But Inclion is inevitable in -iicli a vast congeries of States as the Briti-h Kmpile, and the utmost her statesmen can hope to do is to reduce it. the friction, to a minimum and b-t each component part work out it- own salvation with a due regard to tin- welfare of the whole. Freedom ot action is the thing to he desired, “lor. ’ to quote General Smut-, '"it i- not the mission of the British Empire to standardise the people- ol the world, nor to force human material into a fixed mould, hut rather to enable them to develop towards a greater, luller. nationality." The author. Mr Mm-ln-nt's, docs not attempt to solve the problems lie ) oints 0111 bin ventures to make a few modest suggestions, such a- improved transport and eomniuni--1,-ition between the Home country and the most distant outpost, ol the Kninire. an Imperial ii'V-s service, exchanges of students, lectures and university professors, also athletic and art relations further extended. ‘'For." says the author, ‘'if with all its special advantages, the British Knipire fails to solve the problem- with which it.i- faced, it i- d i IlirU 11 to believe that any other power on earth can -in-reed." t think that every true ~.ni and daughter of the tlrcni Coinmonwcalt li of Nations will fee I a thrill of pride on taking a survey of what has lx>en aecmplished under its tiegi-. making it "the greate-t laboratory for good the world lias yet seen." The reader- of this very inspiring volume will he further induced to believe that tin- great harmonising mission of the F.mpire will not fail, hut eventually sm-cced.