INTERVIEWED AT CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, February 21.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 34

INTERVIEWED AT CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, February 21.

The Hon. W. Hall-Jones arrived from Wellington by the Rotomahana this morning, and proceeded south by the second express as far as Timaru, where a public reception is to be tendered to him this evening. The Minister intends remaining at Timaru for a day or two, after which b.e will return to Wellington, breaking his Journey at Christchurch. THE SUFFRAGETTES. "I took matters very quietly at Home," he said to a Press representative, '" but, of course, I was keenly interested in much <bat was transpiring. Being concerned in the political welfare of a country in which the parliamentary franchise is conceded to women, I watched the progress of what the newspapers term the ' suffragette movement,' and can say without hesitation that the means employed by the leaders of the propaganda at Home find no sympathy with right-thinking people. If these women liad gone about the matter as our women 'did — namely, by petition and well conducted public meetings, bheir cause would have been enormously advanced, but when we are treated to the spectaolp of hysterical females invading and interrupting political assemblages, and being forcibly ejected, feelings of disgust eomp'etelv overcome any other sentiment that we might otherwise be likely to entertain. Public feeling at Home is excited not so much against the object of the movement as against the methods employed to further its inteiests. As a matter ot fact the impression is growing that some iform of extended political privileges will eventually be conceded to women in Great Britain, but these will not go so far as in New Zealand, as they have not e\en got full manhood suffrage at Home as yet. LABOUR CONDITIONS IX ENGLAND. "The conditions of labour in England are still bad, although in many instances wages have improved. Still the cost of living has advapced in sympathy. The consumption- of meat and flour among the working classes is greater now than for 20 years past, and the fact that New Zealand (with other countries) is pouring in cheap meat of good quality alone affords the reason- why the artisa.ns are enabled regularly to partake of tJiis class of food. I went "' slumming ' in Bermondsley, and the same bad old pitiful conditions of tqaalor, wretchedness, and hopeless poverty still obtain. Many of the people belong to a decent working "class, and in nearly every instance large families with no prospects for the future are the rule. Large numbers of men attracted from the provinces by the glamour of bibber wages compete desperately with the Londoners for such work as there is to be obtained, with the Tesult that there is not nearly sufficient to go round, and thousands upon thousands do not eion know where the next doy'i food ,is coming from. A great many of the elums have latterly been swept away, and in some ir.sta.nces the place <jf these is filled by so-called workers homes of different i-inds. but for the most part they appeal to a New Zeaiander as being woefully in(•fliciont. For example, I saw one place in which a single room with a tiny annexe was lee for 5s per week. In another two small rooms at the top of a tall buildup ©ost 7s 6d, but even such accommodation as this is not available to all. Rough cottagee cost 14s and 15s per week, and! had the pVasuie of viewing Bill Sykess cottage immortalised by Dickens, which is fitill doing duty as a d>velling-, and is costing its occupier 15s a week.

ANXIOUS TO EMIGRATE

'■'-In many quarters I .discovered a keen aaxiety on the part of country workers to * migrate to New Zealand and other colonial possessions of the Empire. But though hundreds are willing only the few are »hle. You see, if: is not until a man takes upon himself the responsibilities of matrimony and family life that he realises to the full 'the necessity- for assuring his future, •jad then it i« too late, as the expense of emigrating i 6 too great to be faced 1 . It is difficult for us. so favou.ra.bly circumstanced as we are, to realise it, but nevoitheless it is a fact that in hundreds of 49«Uinc«s it is impossible for individuals *© a».ve «tbd a £10 note which might cair\

them to New Zealand. In manufacturing and industrial enterprises at Home much of the- old leaven of conservatism is still at work. The aveision to modern laboursaving devices and methods has not been completely lived down, but one could detect here and there a tendency towards an improved condition of affairs in that respect. Ihere was also noticeable a patriotic inclination to support Home manufactures as against those of foreign origin, and this was most conspicuous among the working ciassos, who have at last begun to realise that they arc competing with foreigners on unequal terms for the bare right to live. T think Mr Chamberlain's appeals, though not having the effect he desired, have been largely icsponsible for the development of these sentiments. It is only necessary to go Home to realise what a trulj happy and prospeious country we New Zealanders live NEW ZEALAND NEWS. "Xews concerning the Dominion is scanty, almost to the degree of complete absence, at Home. Much interest is manifested in our welfare, and the progress of our political and social e^lution, and the paucity of news is not only most marked, but is freely commented upon by those in a position indirectly to advance our interests. Australia is rectifying tho shortcoming in. this respect, and it is time we followed 1 RAILWAY WORKS. "And now as to matters within our own borders. Work on the North Island trunk railway is progressing satisfactorily, and there is every prospect that my prophecy of three years ago that the line would be open for through traffic before the close of ISOB will be fu".filled. I have noticed that land, along the route has been fetching high prices. Ohakune, being a railway stopping ] place, should be a. decent-sized town, but the same cannot be said of some of the different townships further along, in wmch land has ohanaed hands at fanoy figures- ► The disastrous "bush fires, which w? all regret from a national point of view, have done no serious da.mage to the line. -As to the Mid'a-nd railway, Mr M'Lean is expected back shortly with the plant necessary for the? tunnel, after which operations w ill no doubt be pushed on vigorously. The Rolie*ton duplication is going on weJ, and is a.s substantially advanced as the very much larger duplication undertakings at Wellirgton a-nd Dunodin. PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE. "In view of many disastrous fires of great magnitude lately. I have become impressed with the necessity for some more efficent moans of protection than are at pa-psent available. Accordingly, I have under consideration the advisa-bleness of installing in all the larger Government buildings, as well a 6 in important institutions, sue-h as museums, libraries, etc., which house national treasures of incalculable value systems of automatic fire alarms, so many excellent types of which are in vogue at present. This, I think, is a most necesaary precaution to take. GOVERNMENT HOUSE. " The alterations of Government House, in \ie\v of the next parliamentary session, are in hand, but nothing has yet been decided as to t.he temporary residence ot his Excellency the Governor."