A Letter to Magistrate Fraser

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 83, 11 October 1912, Page 4

A Letter to Magistrate Fraser

The foll-wihg is- a- oopy of at 1-tter sent to Mr. F. V. Fraser, S.M. (who tried the Waihi' stHMs)-:-*-Christchurch-, September 30, 1912. Sir, —Your attitude in regard to those working men- in- WMhi- crt*' *M*# fdts. have been entrusted, with a little brief authority, is typical of what is becoming known wM_*-w'ide as class bias. Like many others of. your class, y.ou are ignorant of the great forces at work in the industrial worlrf ■t&>i!tos&&■)s%■ pet in the hands'of' relentless greed". Your attitude to thoise*" men i_{; Waihi is that of- biasi bWn of a : superficial knowledge, of Both natural and iro___trial laws; you do not understand the situation and your views are- insular and narrow. <o As a magistrate, it is your, duty to interpret tho la-**, and having- do_«r so to hold your peace, but like? many another with too much power, you have abused it. What right had you to- titipttM' ytiifaopinion u-porr matters of? which you had but a superficial knowledge, asyou have gone out of your way to do upon thoso that have been* untforitlntfttt -ttOttgli* tb come under yourL jtoisdidaori'? You, sir, living in sumptuous- etasee St the expense of those-you- coudwntt, upon a. salary, many times, greater than those that you presume- to judge, pass sentence and- ©xpw*tf whas Merit ate pleased to call your mitH upint men who are struggling' for a? bare- esisteßee—-for that is what it amounts to, as this episode is but a etotfll' ptti* ii. thfe industrial- dVisma, til** Sjfjruggl* dF tlie exploited many againsb the exploiters who ar4 -few*. To conclude, Bit-, take warning, as the day is not fer distaSt when yon and. the class that you represent (a rapidly decaying' dla¥s)' will" Be siHown the real place' tha* you- shou_d : cfS&tijfy in the great scheipe of the econoiSfio r<SlrpeW!f%lly,.