Organiser's Notes.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 70, 12 July 1912, Page 4

Organiser's Notes.

By E. R. HARTLEY.

We shall be quite skilful mountain climbers by tlie time wo finish the West Coast trip. When you got off at tho Waimangaroa station, you look up to tho mountains and see some houses and buildings almost up in the clouds. Methinks Eagle's Neet would be a better name than Denniston, It is perched up on the edge of tho hill like an eyrie.

Giving the bag and other impedimenta into the charge of the railway people, bnb fortunately keeping our waterproofs and umbrellas, we started to walk. With the true "Clarion" instinct, we passed the turning, and going through the village—-humble apologies if it is a town—Aye found a path leading up through the bush.

It was a delightful walk. Thc beauty of thc numerous turns of thc zig-y.ag path I The abundance of ferns of all kinds and sizes, some as tall as a house, others so minute that we had to look carefully for them, clinging to thc sides of the rocks! Sometimes the path had been cut from tihe solid stone, and every now and again we saw evidences of the mineral wealth of the hills. Steadily onward and upvyard, at wo point pausing to look down into a lovely glen stretching downwards in a rare loveliness of many-shaded greenery; a little further on admiring tho pretty cascades, with their numerous small and varied waterfalls. The sun, which had been bright and warm, became overcast, and the clouds, sinking down, while we took A short rest, the rain began to fall, and wo almost wished we had waited for the coach.

However, the goal for Socialists is upward and ahead, and the pathway was only typical of our everyday task. There has never yet been found a better way of reaching anywhere than steadily plodding along on the best road ono can find.

Higher and- higher, at times fairly quickly, at times with the path going right into tho hills. Nearing the top, we began to get views of the sea, ono of which lingers on tho memory yet. The green bush in the foreground, next the river, then the sea all dull from an overhanging cloud. Further out to sea a break in the clouds, showing a huge patch of sea, shining like a burnished silver shield. Though wo were in the shade and the rain, further on the sun was shining.

Ah! my comrades, let us remember this truth: 'Tis always fine somewhere, and even behind the blackest clouds the sun is ever shining. Our faces are towards the dawn of the days of freedom and justice. Marching steadily on, doing bravely and well the work that is always near at hand, we shall come through the dark clouds and over the difficult ways into the sunshine of achieved results in the near future.

One sight was wonderful. The rain almost ceased and the clouds blew away from us. Looking dull, heavy, and grey on our left, right in front thoy grew thin and misty. Through thc mist we could sco faint streaks, and as the clouds grew ever thinner, tho different bends of thc river began to shine like veins of silver. A little cbango made them look almost exactly like streaks of lightning; another change showed them clear and distinct, and wo could see that "Behind tho cloud was the sun still shining."

Rain coming on heavily, we bad to turn from the beauties and press on for Denniston. Ncaring GO one's breath grows shorter, and in spite of the beauties of the walk wo wearied, and when a sharp turn brought houses in sight we heaved a sigh of relief.

Iv a little whilo we found the home of T'addy Callaghan, where wo reoeived a warm welcome from Mrs. Callaghan, with a delicious cup of tea and sqohos to mstcrc tho percentage. A grimyfaced pcrsom joined in the welcome, and a short time afterwards, we saw, for the first time, tbe face of Secretary Callaghan.

It ia all very well for us. speakers and writers. While we certainly get a fair share of the knocks, we also get a fair share of the approval anjl applause. All. are xiecdful, and "oach thing in Ha

place is bost." Rut I verily lielieve the best work is dono by the comrades who, as secretaries, treasurers, committeemen, etc., keep the movement alive and are its very heart's blood. Merc is to that unknown army of workers in the Socialist movement who do the drudgery work without complaint or murmur. Good luck to you, boys and girls everywhere I

If tlie Employers' Federation has any control of the weather department it has given special instructions for our meetings. Rain I Ugh I And yet still more rain! For three days the rain fell —literally fell. It was only tho fact ol being on the hill tops which prevented thc floods coming upon us. Doubtless there have been bigger meetings in Denniston, but my admiration for the women and men who braved rain and fog and the dark, rough roads will be amongst the bright memories of this trip.

Wo had a question at Denniston which tho rich men of my corporation experience wore very fond of, but which has not previously cropped up in New Zealand: "In the Socialist State where will you find the brains to run tlie businesses and the State?"

This question is always asked on tho assumption that brainy men run the State and the businesses now. Tho assumption is wrong I There may be and probably are some brainy men amongst the present so-called statofmen. But in every civilised couutn in tho world tho workers—the onh essential and necessary people —are the poorest and the least cared for. If a government is any use at all, it should govern for the most numerous and necessary people. Not a government in the world does so. And yet they dare talk about their brains! If the workers did their business half as badly as their masters have done the workers' busiuosß, they would lie sacked before crib time of the first day. Oh, no! "By their fruits ye shall know them." Judged by results, the managers of the world's public busircss arc the most arrant asses the world has yet seen.

As to their private concerns, their greatest success is when they manage to get two or three times as much from the public as the article is really worth. If at any time they sell to the public something at less than it is really worth, the result is failure and the bankruptcy court.

The reserved seats, the titles, thc honors of tho world go to those wno manage to get from tho public 10 to 20 times that which the article is really worth. This is scarcely a sign of brain power either on tho part of the exploiters or exploited. Nine-tenths of all the questions asked about what we should do in the Socialist State only need answering by the question, "What do wo do now?"

Nino-tenths of all tihc business in the world is managed by paid managers, who nearly all spring from, and indeed are now, part of the working-class. They manage to-day for syndicates, joint stock companies, idle and non-re-sident landlords, trusts, banks, etc. They could just as easily manage for committees of directors for the public good as for committees of directors for private profit. When men aro selected as manager aud directors because they have proved their fitness, and not, as to-day, beea they are their father's sons or some directors' nephews, there will be no lack of brains for the management. Brains are like honor and shame, they "from no condition rise."

When the test of the management shall bo: ' 'How much do tho people get for their money f" it will need no more brain power than it does to-day, when tbe proof of good business management is: "How little do the people get for their money?" When every child has full opportunity to develop to the utmost, there will be no lack of brain power. There is now!