THE SEMPLE FIASCO.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 27 November 1912, Page 2

THE SEMPLE FIASCO.

A few months ago the hair-brain-ed leaders of the Federation of Labour predicted that their organisation would live to paralyse New Zealand from end to end. As a matter of fact they, as a disjointed body of trouble-seekers, have never even lived, and if the crude truth be told have merely existed in the puerile imaginations of Semple and his clique, moreover, pretty well broken the record of signal failure by paralysing their own cause. The Waihi strike, with all its attendant malformations of so-called principle, has been brought to a somewhat abrupt conclusion, and the most obdurate of the red-rag law-breakers have awakened to the unpleasant reality of how they have been duped in a hopelessly simple, Semple manner —the way of the modern transgressors who [ pin their faith to the frail banner of the rabid agitator. The spine of a notorious Federation has been completely shattered, and her adherants are suffering from a severe attack of spleen. From

first to last the drastic methods of vindication, and the general tactics adopted by the Federation have been partially based on the lines of the I.W.W. —an illiterate sect whose origin can be traced to America —and while alluding to that country it may be mentioned that in comparison with the outcome of industrial disputes there, the Waihi strike has been like the sting of a mosquito to the bite of a venomous snake ! That Waihi has passed through a turmoil of tribulation no sensible person should attempt to deny; but, contrasting what has actually transpired in the town of the goldfields with what under similar conditions, would have happened in the United States, we assert that the recent shooting affair, and the events which led up to it, appeal to us as being of an exceedingly tame nature in the face of a critical situation. We feel disposed to slightly transpose the opening lines of a music-hall ditty by asking the question : " Where was Semple when the Band struck up ? Nobody seemed to know ! " He, for one, appears to believe in the old adage : " Present in the spirit, but absent in the body," which is the favourite motto of his particular class. Such is the safeguard of the ignoble agitator, who is the bullying coward of his self-interested designs. At the same time, that astute police official, Commissioner Cullen, and his able staff of officers, are to be highly commended for the diplomatic way in which they strove to maintain order, and the patient forbearance revealed by them towards the abusive-tongued strikers and their female attributes — one cannot in accordance with strict justice term the latter individuals, women —who persistently flung filthy, verbal mud at the law-abiding workers, and others, on every conceivable occasion. In short, from the outset, the Waihi strike was a farciful anachronism, and had Messrs Semple, Parry and Company taken the trouble to consider the pros and cons of the whole position, their victims would not be now wallowing in the mire of unrequitted revenge!

LOED ISLINGTON. The farewellings accorded to the outgoing Governor have probably astern*islied him considerably. Probably they liavo also struck a contradiction in his heart. For example when the Mayor of Wellington boldly declared that he was the best of all the governors in the Jine of seventy years, even the last of the line must feel that tnis is unjust to Grey who brought order out of a chaos which

but for his effoits might have proved fatal to the rule of the Queen over these islands. But the Mayor meant well and the Governor forgave him. Possibly all the more so as the speech and general tact of the Mayor were a tremendous testimonial to the fibre and grit of the rankers of this country. The speaking was really quite good on this occosiou so far as Wellington goes at any rate. And not the worst ol the speeches.was that of her ladyship which was a perfectly delightful thing, hovering between laughter and tears, with wit, wisdom andgood f eeli~ ing strewn about with prodigal abundance and unostentatious splendour. The governor did justice to the good speeches made in hi? honour, but he did justice to the interests of the Dominion more, as besemed a man sent to further those interests without forgetting his duty as the representative of the sovereign of these realms. The head and front of his speech was the reference to the agricultural industry, and the best of that reference was the tactful manner of it. In a great town to tell the great meeting that the country is the thing wherein the greatness of the future lies, one must have both bold-. ness and persuasive power. Of course tho bed rock of us all here is the agricultural interest. If we talk of land taxas it is only for the purpose of forcing subdivision not raising revenue, and therefore we none of us think that taxation after the manner of the singletaxers is good for the man who uses his land well. If we talk protection it is only for a limited purpose and in a small way comparatively, for we all recognise the paramouncy of agriculture. If we talk of "Mr Hayseed " it is with a note of deepest respect for a man and a commander : as the man who pays all our salaries. Therefore the Governor was right to treat the agriculture of the Dominion as far and away the first of its interests. " Eclipse first, the rest nowhere ! " that represents the patent oc nobility conferred on the agricultural interest by His Excellency. Labour of the towns will never give laws to the country ; and the only course for the labour of the town is to ally itself with the men of the country, throwiug behind all talk of making them bear the whole weight of the Dominion taxation. In the present circumstances of the world this is our only asset indefeasible, Everything in the policy of all governments must recog nise the fact. Nothing like a negation of this principle can come so near to ruin of the country's prospects. Amoung the good things we say of the Governor let us say that he had an eve in his head.