Organiser's Notes.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 71, 19 July 1912, Page 4

Organiser's Notes.

By E. R. HA3TLEY

Afler three fairly good meetings at De.nniston, with cold, wot, boisterous weather, Ihe sun came out, and we set out for Millerton. We had not got far down the hill when the rain came on again, but gradually cleared away, and the alter noon was beautiful. At Granity station we were mot by a gentleman with a horse and cart, who was to convey us up the heights to Millerton.

Sir. I have been, told that the walk to Millerton was exaggerated. This may be true, but of this ride I mean to write in plain, bald terms, not to be misunderstood. It was a horse not quite the style of that which Byron mentions in "Mazeppa." It was an oblong beast, with a leg at each corner. It was not too iiery. There were not several groomh Ui hold him in check. The cart was like the horse, not too now. We climbed to our seats, and iQk> driver followed. The horse calmly took another mouthful of grass, etc.. and when the driver said, "Come along. Don!" Don calmly understudied the sailor's wife in "Macbeth" and "munched and munchod."

"Get along, Don!" This remonstrance being in sharper terms, and the driver leaning forward to get from under the seat a long switch, Monsieur Don lifted bis head and moved slowly towards the road.

On reaching the road, Don was again admonished, and after a period for due consideration he gave himself a kind of shake, which caused the trap to shake -tremendously, 'jarring every nerve and straining every muscle of our bodies. 1 believe the old horse thought he was trotting, but beyond shaking us till our very joints seemed coining loose, there was no other result —he didn't travel one inch faster. Fortunately, the trot (?) censed in about 20 yards, which enables mc to write tho story. If Don had trotted in that fashion for a mile, no ono of the passengers would have been left alive to tell the story.

The old horse steadily faced the hill. At times he paused, seeming to give serious consideration to the question, "Is life worth living?" or some similar abstruse subject. Someone said ho went to sleep, but there was a calm, philosophical appearance and method about Don which contradicted th© statement. The driver was an old Kentish man. who was delighted that we could talk' about Gravesend, Northflect, Rochester, Chatham and the lovely district made famous by Charles Dickens. At each philosophic reverie of his horsa he would reproach him, and on one occasion even used the switch. It was of little avail—Don merely twitched ono ear, gave the trap another violent shaking, then subsided into his'usual pace. The driver told us that if he used the switch freely Don would begin kicking.

Mr. Editor, I'm only a new chum, so to speak, and that driver was a man from Kent! I was too startled Avith the thought of Don kicking to offer any contradiction. Further, at the moment, of being given this startling information we were near the edgo of a ravine, with a drop of at least 200 feet. But I hero place it on record that I don't believe that Don will be ever so vigorous as to kick! In addition to this, his philosophic studies havo taught him a better way. Instead of the tremendous exertion of kicking, he just stands still. When the working-classes cave studied th© philosophy of Socialism, they als) will Stand still—all of them—when the capitalist class will he like us on that hillside, stuck fast' or have to do the work themselves.

Slowly but purely we wound up the zigzag road, at times seeming to make little or no progress, at times almost seeming as if we were going back. But looking backward, wo could sec the advances made, and keeping our faces steadily forward, we reached Millerton, and soon found ourselves comfortably installed at Tom Williams'.

The day being fine and sunny, we enjoyed that drive with its alternate views of pretty hush and seascape, varied by waterfalls and ravines. It was pleasant and pretty, but if ever I'm in a hurry to reach Millerton and Don is the fiery, untamed steed to conduct mc, I shall walk.

The evenings are bitterly cold, and my comrton* wonder is, How do the peoole endure sitting for nearly two

hours in ilie cheerless, cob. and draughty balls? I can not speak well for worrying myself about i'.ie cold. In the midst of a statement or an argument a curtain will blow, nnd 1 find my train of thought disturbed by thoughts of the cold, bitter draughts. This seems to freeze my intellectual ideas. Mv dear comrades, in tin's cold weather, shut tho hall doors as soon as the meetings commence, and if you want to keep mo answering questions from 30 to 40 minutes after tho address, bring your rugs with you, at least for the women. If I know the audience is "comfy," I can speak twice as well.

On the Sunday after tho meeting I was asked an innocent question by the secretary: "Would you mind going to Mangatini on Tuesday P" Of course, 1 said "Yes," and would answer "Yes" again. But, Mr. Editor, we know not what's before us. Again a track through the bush, then winding alongside creeks, where in slioltcigpd nooks the ice lay thick upon the rocks or hung in beautiful tracery of icicles from mosses and branches. We struck a place named Mine Creek, one of Hie dreariest places wo have yet seen. Then rising up the hillside the path for about a milo was very similar to one going over some upland Yorkshire moor. The sun began to sink and the snow-tipped mountains, with the sunlight falling on them, showed a splendour and majesty not easily forgotten. Tho lower mountain tops gained color and beauty, at

times beginning to suggest the blue hills of Scotland, though never getting tho real Scotch atmosphere.

The roads, sir, may be described as rough and even stony. When, after two hours of them, w© abruptly descended into a little valley, where a number of whares, a large boardinghouse, and the rails leading in and out of the mine told us we were at Mangatini, we gave a sigh of relief. The genial hostess gave us a warm Irish welcome, and we were soon comfortable. Tho sight of Miss Sarah put us at ease at once. Long may she wave I

Mangatini was comforting. For almost tho first time, I found some idea of making the lives of the wealth-pro-ducers comfortable. The big, roomy boarding-house was built by the company. A public hall and a big billiardroom arc also provided, and last, but not least, a library. Thero were baths of a kind, but those could bo much improved. If these lines should ever meet the eye of a mine manager, I would ask if ho ever heard of the Lassar type of bath, which always seemed to mc the ideal bath for miners. It is in the form of a closet, with pipes all round with fine holes, through which th© water comes in a fine spray. Tho bather stands, and with a little soap all the dirt is speedily washed off and runs away instead of settling to th© bottom as in an ordinary bath. It is quicker, cleaner and more thorough.

Let every lover of his kind and every well-wisher of good remember that if men are to he civilised they must have the means of civilisation. With every 100 men sent out into the wilderness there should be a good teacher, at least one good musician, and certainly a good library. Where such a library does not exist, a £5-noto to Messrs. Dent, Bcdfort street, Charing Cross, London, would bring 100 selected books of the Everyman Library—books, many of which were unbuyablo in my youth, and most of which would have cost mc in my 20th year from 6s to 15s. each. Believe mc, comrades, a good book is better than billiards and the poorest book better than "Iwo-up."

Itond the books, and once a week discuss the books you've read. Many, many young comrades tell mc thoy would like to carry the message forward. Believe mc. when once you've got the ideas, you n< ed a vocabulary, and the best way to gain a good vocabulary is to til) yourself with tho ideas and expressions of the best writers. To do this, read aloud —it will help you lo clotlue your own ideas with good riic! fitting words. The master minds of ail the ages stand on the bookshelves waiting for you, comrades, and the wisdom of tho past is an ever-present help for' the difficulties of the present.

There is only one royal road to learn to swim—get into the water and try. There is only one royal road to knowledge— reading and study. There is only one way to loam to speak—do it. Anil the weekly talk about books will compel you to know of the books, and the talking about them and discussing them with your friends will enable you to talk abont and discuss other matters with all-comers.

Don't forget to read some books against Socialism. We must know the other side to put our own properly. • • »

Don't neglect the poets, "whose thoughts enrich the blood of the world's speech." A real poet can often say more in one line than most men can say in a chapter.

Mangatini is a step in the right direction, but many others must be taken ere those who do the world's work enjoy the world's wealth.

Ah, met When I think of Bookland and its beauties and possibilities, how I wander on. When I think of the glorious possibilities of Humanity, when once w© have lost tho lust of gain, and each man finds his own good in the good of his neighbor, like tho poet's brook, I go on for ever.

From Millerton to Granity. Not a very big audience, but I spoke well and at considerable length. Questions were good, and in spite of the cold the audience seemed to want more.

A rest of two days with almost home comfort at Comrade Dowgray's, then on to Westport. A good meeting in tho open air, with bright steely moonlight and cold equal to freezing a brass monkey. The New Zealand folks are a hardy lot.

A modeaat© meeting in the theatre on tli© Sunday night. Then back to Dcnnittton for three nights.

Let mc put on record the wonderful kindness my wife and I have received in the Buller district. Mesdames Moloney, Lawn, McArthur, Williams, Callaghan and Dowgray made what would otherwise have been a wearisome timo very comfortable, in spite of the hardship of changing homes and beds every few days. Ladies, I doff my hat to you, each and all, giving you the greetings

and thanks of a couplo who have travelled fai and long for the cause of Socialism The kindness of these good comrades has never been exceeded and will never ho forgotten. The Socialist fellowship is world-wide.

At Denniston it was again cold. but to my surprise questions were plentiful, and tho audience disappointed when at the end of two hours the chairman closured the meeting.