KAITANGATA KERNELS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 32, 8 March 1912, Page 9

KAITANGATA KERNELS.

Things hayo boon on the movo i« Kiiita'.i'ijata since Paddy Webb paid us a visit ; particularly so in the matter of Socialism. A few days after our comrade left here a notice was put up asking those who would assist in i'-orm-ing a Socialist branch to hand in their names to It.-N. llickl. This brought a response sufficiently good to justify us in calling a meeting of Socialists. When we met it was a wet «>■. and in consequence some of tho comrades did not turn up, but there were, enoutrn. however, to start tho movement with. Though we aro not as i umerefs as wo hope, to be in the near future, yet what v.'o lack in numbers is made up for by the-enthusiasm of tho comrades we now have. We started off by electing E. Richardson as chairman of the branch, 11. N. Ridd as hon. secretary, and Jas. Robertson as treasurer.

As a result of a com:minication sent to Coni. J. W. Munro, of Ihinedin, wo were, so fortunate, as to get Com. K. -J. Howard, of Christehurch, wlio happened to be in Diinodm at the time, to come out to "Kni." We had him on the job three nights running, and if the dry-bones of '".Kai" did not got a shake-up, well, it is nobody's business. He spoke on Saturday evening on the general aspects of Socialism; on Sunday he dealt with the attitude of Socialism towards Christianity; while on Monday the climax was reached by a tlebnto between our comrade and Mr. H. H. Cornish, who is a student at the Dimctlin University.

Tlio bone of contention between the two was the question: "Is compulsory military training in the. best interests of the' Dominion?" Mr. Cornish k<l off with the affirmative, and made out a really good case from his point of view; then our comrade tried to prove that it was not in the best interests of the Dominion. Our comrade had the audience, or at all events the bulk of them, with him right up to the time the signal was given that ho had only three minutes to wind up his ca3o.

However, ho. was so unfortunate as to call sonic of the palatini residences occupied by the workers by tho name of "shuns." That was where the oaso of tlio anti-militarist was lost that night.

A few of the onliujitpiied mombe.re of the audiotic!' tbought that tho itiforcaoe he was tr.vinu; to convey was that thero won* houses of ill-fame in Knitaiigatii. wbilo, as a mattor of fact, he was onlj trying to show that th(> houses Uw workers hid to live in wore not of fehf same class as those in which our mafi tors lived. If he had had time to explain, it wo'ikl have been bettor for US. As it vv:is, a majority of those, wh« \ otefl wore against our point of viow.

W<> had a goodly support all tbe same, and wo arc satisfied because, aa a result of Hie debate, we were able Iβ give tin* Soci'ilisi. messngr to nmnjr that otherwise we would not have had there. It is sale to say that, now that «c have made a start, it will not be long until ''Xiii ,, is a different place be live in. It has bei'i dead for nuMijr years, but let (he Soci'ilisi s te work, and we will <j;et people to takf on intorest in the ihinjis thai matter. Ait wn want is to be abb , to jrpt a speakflc now and then to keoj) tbo ball rolling. There are many rcadv t<» accept iSooialisni if they oiilv had someone to tclf them what it ni'vtnt. One people overyday who are dissatisfied wit.i tfee inesent svsioin. b'H they dr> not know the reni'-dy, ami all they know About ("iooia.listn is soiiictiiinti the masli v r-c!iu» h-is said aptainst Socialism.

Our branch is vomit. , ;, it is small yot, hut it dor? not lack in cnthusin.Hin. Aiul we hive plenty of latent talont tint only wants bringing out. Lot ua met a lit Up assistance such as wo got from our Chi istohnreh comrade, anil vo ivill bo able to liolp on the ocinoinu; revolution in our district and itieidoiitally in tlw* Dominion.—KPFX'TATOR.