Organiser's Notes.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 74, 9 August 1912, Page 2

Organiser's Notes.

By E. R. HARTLEY.

O'er Highways and Byways.

EXHILARATING EXPERIENCES. COMPENSATIONS OP AN AGITATOR'S LIFE. While nt Denniston on my second visit 1 hold two meetings at Burnetii Faff. 1 h'AYO not the pleasure of knowing Mr. Burnett, hut it liis face was anything J ike tJie placo 1a which h* has given its name, it would be a most useful thing to loan out. to the Auti-S;j-einlisb Union. If it was labelled "Socialism" and carried around, itwould do more to turn people against Socialism than threo volumes of the Anti-Socialist's Handbook. * * « If the Socialist State could possibly produce places like Burnett's Face, .Mino Creek, Puponga, and several "Tin Towns" we've seen, I would today become an anti-Socialist. * • * These places anu die miles of sluni.laiul of the older countries are the product of capitalism—the product of the system which opponents of Socialism xiphoid. Socialism could not produce such places. c * • The meetings were good, but the hall a wilderness/ The second night I talked about "Socialism and Books." and recited a couple of: pieces. The management, of these mines should be grateful to mc for lightening the lives of the people, even if only for an hour or two. It should be a criminal offence to take, men, women and children out to such places without providing at least a good library, a good hall, and some good mil sic. Then; are some really good gramophones and splendid records. The mining and timber companies should be compelled to provide such things. We shall remember Burnett's Face. * * We again walked down from Denniston. This time we decided to try a forbidden footpath, hoping to get one or two snapshots. Our venture led us to the "Incline." in negotiating the lower half of which we had a great experience. We were advised, that we had better go back, but my travelling manager's face at the thought of climbing back again won their sympathy, and one of the men courteously conducted us to the bottom of the incline. If this should meet the eye of anyone concerned, let them receive our grateful thanks. * * * It is a marvellous scene and a wonderful experience. Our poor old knees felt like giving way, but down wo went, steadily and surely, though by ourselves "we should certainly have been in difficulties. Wo never dreamed of fullsized railway waggons flying up such an ascent much faster than any railway train we have travelled in in New Zealand. We might easily have been caught, or at least have had to jump tor our lives. However, our guide took us off the track every time the rope began moving and all was well. It was hard work, the perspiration dropping oft" my face. • * * * Granity is a rather nice place, and promises to become nicer. The people, however, are among the contented ones. The very place seems a bit conservative. The advertising Jiad gone wrong somehow, and we were a night in front of the ad. Not a big meeting, bvet very interested, with lots of questions. * * * Another meeting at Seddonville, with a moderate attendance. We should have done much better the following night, but torrents of rain destroyed all chance of a meeting. m « » Back to Ngakawau for Sunday and Monday. Here we bad two fine meetings, with quite a number who declared they had been convinced that Socialism is the only way. Ngakawau was decidedly good and encouraging, both Scottish and colonial comrades making us very welcome and very comfortable. Dan and his wife a stain looked after us at Westport, and our visit to Foulwind materialised this time, though the usual happy-go-lucky methods had the usual results, and a wet, squally night kept the gathering somewhat small. It was an excellent meeting, with some good questions, and one man who in some rambling remarks raised a hundred and one points. Even ho was satisfied at last, and a long meeting came to an end. Oh, yes 1 Bartholomew will do! * * * Nest morning I got the early train, and at Westport boarded the motor which carried us through the Buller Gorge to Reef ton. May I again be permitted to remark that the agitator's lot is not all beer and skittles, but there are some compensations, and this drive was one of them. Flow can words describe it? The car was a good one, the seats comfortable, and with our greatcoats and rugs we were warm and cosy. Wo swung along the road leading from Westport in fine style, passing many pretty bits of fern and bush scenery. The new railway was often in evidence, giving warning of the time when the iron horse will do most of the hauling. m m r Leaving To Kuitu we soon reached thu ferry, and a wait for the punt gave us time to look about admiring the beautiful river and its surrounding mountains, hills and trees. It was a bright, clear morning, without sunshine, and the view both up and down the river was charming. * ♦ * It was after we had crossed the river that the drive through the gorge began. On and on we went, turning and twisting through scenes of ever-ehang-

ing beauty, lit one moment splashing through ono of the many small streams crossing the road, and shortly afterwards seeming to be heading for a J clear leap into the river, which steadily grew further and further below ua. . • * t Every now and again we came to parts of tlio road which had been cut from the solid rook, the overhanging cliffs showing bare and forbidding. Like tlio poet's brook, we wound about in and out, with tho glorious river below and the mountain peaks above. Sometimes tho mighty river would seem to run straight into a giant wall of rock, and when wo got nearer we could look down on the. swirling, boiling waters forced to seek a fresh river bed. •■ " • It was an eerie sort of feeling to look over tho side of the- oar straight down tho side of the cliff to the rocks and water below, and reflect that a slight mistake of the driver or a mishap to tho steeling gear would in a. moment' send us flying into space until we also "joined the brimming river." Hut our driver was master of his work, and the ear went gliding steadily and surely on. At, last wo 7-oar'hed tho famous Hawk's Crag, which must be seen to really understand its beauty, with the weird sensation of a narrow road out from the rock, which overhangs and almost seems to touch the top of the car, and a straight cliff which, 50 feet below, is lost in the green waters. * ♦ * "We were favored at this point for few yards after we turned the corner a numerous flock of sheep came in sight, and it was with difficulty they were persuaded to pass the motor-car. It was delightful to watch the almost human intr-lligeuco of tho dogs, as they tried to get their charges past. The leading do:; kept wagging his tail and passing and repnssing the car, as one rwho would say to the timid sheep: "Look at? mc. This thing will never hurt you. I'll look after that." For quite a time his efforts were unavailing, and tlio sheep became so crowded that there, seemed a danger of some of them being pushed down into th-p river. Tho shepherd in the rear shouted anxiously, whistling loud and shrill. Tlio rent- dog harked angrily, and the front dog whined wistfully. Sometimes a sheep, a. little more daring, would come near the ear, looking nervously and trembling towards us, only to twist back at the last moment. * * « Our engine had been stopped, and we sat silent and rigid witJi anxiety. Halffovgotten stories of sheep which had followed the lead of one that leaped over a. cliff, whereon the whole flock were dashed to pieces, came flooding back to one's memory as the now packed masses of sheep were pushed inch by inch nearer the car. Anything was possible, and a rash movement might do incalculable harm. We sat still as statues and scarcely breathed. The leading dog's eyes were turned on us in silent reproach as Ite almost caressed some of thp sheep in a vain endeavor to lead them past. . - • At last one sheep, bolder or more heavily pressed by his comrades behind, stopped in front, and with a timid look towai"ds the car crept' forward, and when just opposite gave a big jump over some imaginary obstacle, giving a loud "Bah!" of triumph or relief at finding himself safe.ly past. A yelp of joy from the dog followed, and a few of the front ones creeping forward and all giving a jump in imitation of their leader the danger was past,, and in another minute a river of sheep was passing us, soon to be followed by the shepherd leading his horse, and with a bravo old sheepdog who evidently iooked on us with disfavor as the cause of all the trouble. *■ • • On we went, passing through a fine rock archway. A little further on a river came through a smaller gorge on the right, and we had a delightful run on either side of the river, to and from the bridge by which we crossed. The river began to widen out and the mountains in the distance showed their caps of snow. * « * An Inangahua there was a halt for refreshments, and tihen we left the Buller river and headed for Reofton. All along the route there was evidence of the pushing forward of the railway, and we were driven into the river bed, jolting and bumping over the pebbles and boulders. * * * The coach leaves Westport at 7.30 a.m., and the motor at 10. It was with a fooling of proud superiority that we sailed past the coaches as they had stopped to change horses. But, alas for the vanity of man] When seven miles from Reefton the car began to slow, down, and in a very short time stopped altogether. The driver's face was ominous. He lifted the seat and exclaimed: "The benzine is all done!" A short conversation told us that the nearest place for help was a mile and a half away, and we set out to walk, leaving the car by the roadside until the driver returned with a supply of benzine and followed us up. Alas I There was no benzine where he expected to get a new supply, but fortunately a telephone, when a message was sent to the garage at Reefton to send a relief car. * « • For our comfort, or otherwise, we were told that the Greymouth train from Reefton would wait an hour for the coach but not a minute for the motor. The relief car came sailing on the road in fine style, and after going for the other passengers, came along and picked us up, leaving the old car to bring along our baggage. We were at the railway station with 45 minutes to spare. The coach arrived five minutes before train time, but no sign of our bags and rugs. Just when we had made up our minds to a night's stay in Reefton we saw our luggage being put in the van and a few minutes later steamed off for Greymouth. n * * I think we struck some eomirrf.ijcial travellers for fellow-passengers. Their comments on the Wailii and Reefton troubles were illuminating. That is, bo to speak, illuminating. If one never sampled such colossal ignorance it would scarcely be possible to believe that men who have sense enough to walk about and take their share in the ordinary business of life could talk so ioolishlv.

It did not take long to discover that those, wise, or otherwise, men really believed that all the trouble was caused by Webb, Hiekey, Seinple and the Socialist agitators who aro wandering about the country. It is true that one man did go so far as to say that "The miners earned all they got." But oveu ho seemed to think that the miners had left their work because Semplo and Webb had told them to do so. The fact that one of the mining directors had just declared "their object was always to keep down tho cost of production " was conveniently overlooked. Mr. Rhodes has repeatedly pointed out that if one man uses tho drill tho companies will lx> able to work roofs which would otherwise not be payable. * * * Those superior "commercials" seemed to think that men whose only chance in lil'o. is to "sell their labor power" ought , to join in the chorus for "cheap labor." v • • These "drummers" spend their lives in trying to "buy cheap and soil deur," but seeinod to think that for tho work-ing-class to try and do the same was positively wicked. Tho fact is these muddy thinkers know by a sort of instinct that if they buy cheap someone must "sell cheap," but they do not know enough of political economy to understand that all tho trouble is berau?o the worker is finding out that lie has foolishly boon soiling cheap and buying dear and is going to reverse tho game. Because they don't know, and never seem to try to think, they are compelled to invent an excuse that tho working-class organisers and speakers arc agitators. When these men commented on Semple's £4 a week, I could not help wondering why they could not boo that if the workers disapproved of any of their men's actions all they had to do was to stop the £4 a week. » « • I've heard to-day of a man who lives in London who compels the miners at one mine to pay him £30 a day! Yet these commercial prigs would defend that. * * ' • I wish it had been possible for. mc to know the names of these persons. One dirty blackguard said: "A well-known trades unionist told mc that be knew spveral unions which had joined Semple's precious Federation with a good balance in the bank, but they had no money now." - - • If I had known their names they should have withdrawn such a statement or known the reason why. But this was impossible, with everyone present utter strangers. * »; » It is such ignorance as this which is our greatest foe. I cannot believe that men who are decent husbands and fathers and reliable friends and citizens would behave in such a currish fashion towards men they would not know if they met them in the streets only for their lack of lenowledge and understanding. In the very paper they received at one of the stations en route was a statement by a mines inspector of 30 years' experience that "he had never seen an effective apparatus for spraying that could be applied by a single man working the drill." * * • A Government inspector of 30 years' j experience is not likely to be biassed on/ a matter like this, and as, unlike Messrs. Rhodes and Co., he is not seeking cheap labor, such evidence should have due weight with laymen who don't understand. „ 9 • The 5} hours' motoring and walking were not half so wearisome as the three hoxirs' train ride, but even New Zealand railway travelling must come to an end, and the commercials gathering up their coats and rugs, we knew that Greymouth was at hand. A few min-ut-es' wait on the platform, then the president and secretary of the Runanga Socialists turned up with a horse and trap, and before another hour had passed we were safe and comfortable in the home of a Yorkhire comrade of the old days. Safe and comfortable, Mr. Editor. But that corduroy track in the dark was a great venture.