KEIR HARDIE IN THE DOMINION.

NZ Truth, 4 January 1908, Page 5

KEIR HARDIE IN THE DOMINION.

Britain's Labor Leader SPECIALLY INTERVIEWED BY " TRUTH." Socialism and New Zealand Legislation, HIS UTTERANCES I& INDIA. "The New Zealand Press Were Hoaxed," A Says Hardie. "AND HAVE NOT THE DECENCY OR COURAGE TO ADMIT IT." His Future Movements. ■■■. ■ v . -

Keir Hardie, the British Labor | champion, has had painful reason to remember his visit to Wellington. Large numbers appeared at the Town Ball on Sunday night last to hear our distinguished 1 visitor, only to find confronting them an intimation of "Postponement, owing to the temporary illness of Mr Hardie," who was subsequently prostrated for several days from shock and the minor injury of a broken rib, sustained m a motor car accident at Johnson ville. The whole of Keir Hardies engagements were cancelled, perforce, and . .the itinerary which he had mapped out for himself had to. be abandoned. The ignorantly brutal manner m Which Mr Hardie had been treated by the capitalistic daily press of New Zealand was responsible for a natural disinclination on Ms part to be interviewed by any reporter, and ithere was a, danger that even 'a "Truth" representative, would be refused an audience. This democratic 1 newspaper has from the first wielded the cudgels m defence of the British democrat, Who was assailed by the boodle-manipulated press 'over his Indian utterances,' which, were distorted by the rich enemies of Labor t«> discredit a /tfig-'hearted Socialist With so little time at his disposal, Keir Hardies assurance that he would grant , an interview ere he left Wellington ' was accepted by "Truth's" reporter as a generous concession, but the promise was rendered nugatory, by Keir's unforfcunate\accident. As the guest of the Mayor (Mr Hislop) Mr, Hardie was permitted to see no one,' and the physical arid mental exertion of an interview was out of the qjuestion. The representative of this delectable journal practically lived on the Mayor's doormat, however, and on Thursday morning *his persistency was rewarded by a brief conversation with the patient, whom he found in.bed. Our reporter was ' I STARTLED 1 IN THE CHANGE IN /.. HARDIE, - ' wrought within a few days. He was pale and wan, and bore other evidence of illness, but the- sparkle and ever-changing expression of the eye showed that this indomitable man suffered in* body only and that his spirit was strong and chafed at the enforced inactivity. Even as he lay, piles of manuscript and folios of reference data lay beside him, showing <that medical advice was discarded when it interfered with his beloved work. s The persistent : reporter was loth to add to the patient's vexation of mind by questioning him immediately about th€ wretched Indian misrepresentation, and he directed his queries to the discovery of Mr Hardies Socialistic "views m their relfyioti to : existing New Zealand legislation. \ /it is barely seventeen years since the Creator's country was entirely m the 'hands of rich . squatters and the wealthy, moneyed- companies and banks of the city. ''The monopoly of land caused the gravitation of population to the cities, arcd the absence of progressive development created 1 unemployment 'and placed the workers at the mercy of the capitalists, m consequence of which there were low wages and privation in\ a young- and sparsely populated country. The democratic sentiment ; which gave every mart and woman a vote m this Dominion land introduced legislation for me compulsory seizure of the monopolists' lands, whereon to place the people m the cities; is a Socialistic sentiment ; likewise the enactment • which euchered the usurer ~by- advancing money to settlers, the State Fire and Life Insurance which cut down the exorbitant insurance rates, the labor legislation which abolished sweating, and the acquisition of a State coal mit\e — all this legislation was, and is, regarded by democrats as rungs m the ladder of Socialism. The awful consequences of the great maritime strike, when the families rof the strikers suffered from actual want and the avenues of industry were, completely and ruinously disorganised, were responsible for the Conciliation and Arbitration AGt, which actually dared to fix the rate of wages, an unheard-of thing, and a privilege wMch had hitherto belonged to the capitalist. This law, however imperfect, is also regarded, -as a -step towards Socialism, which (as, man is an evolutionary animal) must come by evolutionary means. It is the custom of a section of the Socialists to denounce these Socialistic measures as palliatives and to condemn the Legislature which introduced them, and "Truth's" representative asked Keir Hardie;. /as an English Socialist, what he thought of these enactments. > ' , Referring to the Conciliation and AsMtration Acts (for there 'have been amendments), Mr Hardie said : "It is very doubtful if wages would have b^een much higher than they are at present without the aid of the A rbitration Court, and the operations of the Court have been beneficial ' TN THE PREVENTION OF SWEATING. iThe Conciliation and Arbitration ' Acts are ' a necessary stage m the evolution from Capitalism to Social- ! ism. Everything depends on the spirit lin which the. Acts arc administered, and that, m turn, depends upon i Uhe strength of the working class '

I movement. If there has been failure, it is not due to anything inherent m the Acts, twit to the lack of vigorous organisation amon^ the working class." .-.\s • Our representative asked if it was judicious for a section of the Socialist party to denounce our democratic legislation, seeing that < such denunciation led to fighting and bickering amongst the different sections 6! 'the Labor movement. • Mr Hardie : "Upon that I will express no opinion." \ "Truth's" ambassador was ling to depart without some reference to the imbecile press opinions about Keir Hardie m India, and made mention of the visitor's remark to a Palmerston reporter, that "the editors of New Zealand ought tb be ashamed of. themselves." . '•• "I have nothing to withdraw," said Mr Hardie. with - calm decision. , But this I will say," he proceeded : "The Dress of New -Zealand' have been hoaxed, and the^have not 'the /decency nor the courage to admit it, nor to make ( the amende that one gentleman 1 should. be 1 only too glad to make to another. Had I come as a footballer or as a member of the sporting fraternity, they would not 1 have been so easily taken m conconcerning me, but being a Socialist and Trades Unionist, and a representative of the working classes, they were only ■ TOO EAGER TO BELIEVE THE WORST THTNGS that could be invented." / Adverting to "Truth's" ohamoiorisMp of himself when all other newspapers were commenting detrimentally on boodle-inspired cables, and prior to the discovery that Keir Har T die had really been grossly misrepresented, Mr Hardie said : "I ( would like to say that I tried to see Mr John Norton when I passed through Sydney. I called at the House, but he did, not seem to b.e m the .Chamber. I hope, however, that I shall be able to 1 meet him upon my return to- Australia." ; ■■Bit: Hardie paid a hi<*h tribute, to the 'kindness and hospitality of the Mayor and Mrs Hislop. with whom he is staying* and who have lavished ev,ery attention upon him during his indisposition. He trusted that* he would be able to leave his bed pn that (Thursday) a^ernoon, and hoped to be able to delivv;'va . public address m Wellington on jSt^day evening. It was anticipated tfoat : ;he would leave from Sydney pn January 10, ami from there sail for AcOlaide on the 21st, leaving thence for South Africa, en route to *he Old Country. Keir Hardie cordially shook .bands i with "Truth's" scribe, who immediately .anologised for his own heartiness of grip tfhen he saw the patient wince with pain. He also expressed contrition for subieetirif Mr Hardie to the ordeal of an interview, however brief, under such circumstances., though^ffratified that he had been select^d-^ the.bearer of t hevisiting democrat's message to the people. '