Odd Thoughts of an Odd Fellow.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 32, 13 October 1911, Page 5

Odd Thoughts of an Odd Fellow.

By ERNEST JONES

A : Statue of Liberty. ''Some Tittle while ago a North of ..England manufacturer presented a statue'of Industry to aNew Zealand | Institution in Wellington*---- In my mind's eye I can see that statue. A female figure, posed amongst cogAvheels and other oddments of scrapirofi,' holding a-laurel croAA'n; or maybe, a type l of muscular manhood, beautiful in''its strength and pose, figuratively representing Labor. Whatever it is, does not matter, but what does matter, and what concerns you and mc, is that th'e generous donor of that statue oavus a quarter of a mile of factories someAA^hero'''about Manchestsr, and employs . ■ hundreds 1 of •. men at 16s 9d per Aveek, or per hour for 59 hours. That such a statue and such a giver should; be eulogised by the New Zealand press is not unusual or unexpect--i ed,; but to us, the rank and file of labor, dt is permissible to look these gift horses in the mouth. As a pre-eminent--British Labor leader remarked about' Carnegie libraries, "The people . Avho make the best use of them will 'have '4110 least reason to thank the -giver' of them." 'In.the Toffs' Club. ,1 was privileged a little Avhile ago to ~spend a few -AA r eeks amongst tne idle rich in their club. The general topics of conversation Avere rot, -women and; racehorses, well moistened Avith the l>.est brands of,Avhisky and occasionally sqiuething really interesting came into .discussion, and I listened attentively, asking permission. A .much-travelled person Avas intioduccd one, day into • the grand lounge, «ncf Avas. induced by interesting questions to talki about Japan. (I deoplv legiet having ho acquaintance with shoithand.) Speaking of labor conditions,'

he mentioned -a visit to a theatre in Tokio, Avhere all the audience had quaint-looking writing on the back of their blouses. "What's the writing on these felloavs' backs?" he asked a Tokio-yun friend. "That! Their name and whom'they Avork for," was the explanation. The gentlemen of leisure laughed heartily and thought the idea splendid; but then it is nothing new. The br-.crge of servitude is labelled large on many New. Zealand workers, and Avhere it is not stamped on the uniform the face carries the brand. This particular club is the resort of the Service majors, and colonels figure on the membership list. Anti-unii-tarism Avas often denounced in the strongest terms betAA'een drinks. There were three of them —a colonel, a chicken, and a "Lord Khoavs Who." "Haw-aAV-aAv," laughed the colonel. "Seen the pa-paAVs sports committees objecting to military training? Damned ridiculous!" "By the way, Colonel," said the chicken, "is it correct that parades and all that sort of thing is arranged to take place on statutory holidays r"' "Certainly," said - the Lord Khoavs Who; "Avhy should the employers be at the loss?" "Yes, AA'hy?" said the Colonel. -"I'm in favour of a statutory fortnight's holiday for all the Avorkers, to be spent in training. It Avould be good for them and good for the country. What do they do with their leisure? Football and drink and loaf on the street corners." "I see .they're giving that young fool who went to jail 'medals,' " said the Lord Khoavs Who. The. Colonel turned a boiled crayfish colour and went .off. "What for?" he demanded, and looked savagely at mc. . "Foji- valour," I" suggested.' .... Tjhe suggestion tickled "him. "Damned -mis;tafcQ," he said. "They ought to 'have gone and taken the rebel when

.-.V:.A. it !^Y Vi M: i M....-:- '-~,,. they wanted him:; and as for the Petone- crowd,-T'd fiend 'them or break them!" , . ■■•'" ~..., Child v r|_' |-: - :3 ~- v- ■•. In amcw'of'the concerted action of the New Zealand press tp promote-the • immigration""of orphan children from the AvorlvlKuises.Aau.d kindred institutions of Great Britain, it recalls a similar agitation promoted by Sir Richard Arkwright, of Self-Help., fame . (and Bolton ill-fame) to get workhouse children td industry, df - : a Ikhi'dred years or so ago. There is no blacker, more criminal, or more iifliiimahi'ehaptefe in England's bloody history than the, chapter of child slavery and the workhouse apprentice system of Lancashire and Yorkshire one Jhundred years ago. 1 know of one case of recent years of child emigration to Canada, when several boys were brutally ill-treated on a farm in Quebec for upAvard&Ptif tert" years:; that is, from the age ; «f '11 th' 21,'- during which time the boy in question had received no AvageS, and succeeded in making his escape frO'ifT : conditions of service to which chattel- "s'laA^qry-forms no comparison. ; New -Zealand want to emulate tldSy'sort of-.'.philanthropy? In our Voolleh industry, the 'demand'''is : ■'•'■alvvfays 1 ' for'boy and girl labor. Qfi'ite ' i-eCently an expert worker in the HyboUeii industry, a man of fi>e feet '"nothing/-'"received 37s 6d a Aveek; or ; aS.; heput it; 7s and 3d! a foot. He ; WaJ3V discharged' and his work Avas t'ahen'lip by fourteen feet of boy at'2s a foot. Three : -boys equal one man .ahd comes : 9s 6d cheaper. A Tragical 'photograph. "Look at./-t-h'st,''- said a Government department head.'vand ,he handed mc a photograph group of jam factory Avorkers. "That," said th" head, "i» an average ciOAAd of JSVw Zealand Avorkers. Buglit, ili.oTUgent% icspectable and what not." •*,,*• *. "What do you thinfc ef it 0 " he said. - JV What I think 'is this- Theie are no fathpis and mother amougst them, * ' 1 ______

and what bothers mc, is Avhat do you do with the old ones." The ho ad ""re-scan ned the photograph. "There W' not a person of 30 years of age upon the photograph. What has become of them? Are they all too old at 30?" I asked. '■■'*' ; The answer Avas scarcely satisfactory.' "It is an occupation for young people, of course." But I persist: Do they never grow old at the" job? ;■