Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1894. A Government Publication.

Manawatu Herald, 28 June 1894, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1894. A Government Publication.

It is known to some persons that the Government issues monthly some printed matter entitled " Journal of the Department of Labour." Not "being of the right " colour " we do not receive thi9 interesting work, and from its title believed that it would be the mere report of the state of trade and the steps the department thought advisable for labour to take >to improve its condition. The Government may contend that this is just what the Journal does do, theri; if so, it appears rather unfair to the majority of dolSnists that they should have to bear the -cost of inciting labour to improve its own position- by the manifest damage of all else. We are obliged to the National Associa tion of New Zealand, Auckland section, for furnishing extracts from some of the reading matter set up by the Government Printer, and published by authority. It would appear that- the editor besides giving dry statistics, indulges in general extracts from articles in other magazines, and it is to these extracts that exception is taken, as " they are often such as convey, in either covert or open terms, incitements to the working classes to oppose themselves to the interests of owners of capital ; in some instances by reporting exceptional cases of hard usage or misfortune, and in others by suggesting that working men ought to use the power they ar« assumed to possess, of legislating unfairly for their own advantage to ■ the disadvantage of owueis of pro- ' perty." The examples given U3 certainly bear out the above interpretation, and it appears to be such

an extraordinary proceedure that we prefer to see the Journal before giving publicity to them, though we do not doubt their correctness, yet the context might not bear out the sharp contrast that a quotation certainly does. Anyhow, now Parliament is ( sitting the Association should use its influence to have the matter discussed in the House, when there will be a chanoe for both sides to be heard. It is manifest stupidity for the majority to keep up a newspaper staff to engender ill-will between colonists, and if it is shown that that is what the Journal does, the sooner the editor is clipped in hia flights of fancy the better.