KEIR HARDIE AT DUNEDIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 312, 10 January 1908, Page 2

KEIR HARDIE AT DUNEDIN.

Per Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. Keir Hardie arrived in Dunediu to- ' night and was received by the representatives of Labor bodies. He addressed a large meeting in the Alhambra Theatre, speaking for an hour on the labor movement and labor conditions generally in Great Britain. He was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Tomorrow night Mr Hardie addresses a meeting of miners at Kaitangata. MR. KEIR HAT!DIE'S SIMPLICITY. On Ist October the special correspondent of The Englishman telegraphed from Barisnl to his journal:— "Mr. Keir Hardie reached Barisal on Sunday evening, under the guidance of Mr. Choudhuri. He remained here only Monday, and visited the courts and the educational institutions, except the only Mohammedan institution, the Hell ißlamia Boarding-house. He was all the time surrounded by Hindu agitators, who acted as his guides and interpreters. Even at the evening party which was given to him by the Hindus no Mohammedan was invited. Backergang is prominently a Mohammedan district, but unfortunately Mr. Hardie not only visited the district under the guidance of the Hindus, but saw it through their eyes and heard about it from their months. At 10 p.m., just.as Mr. Hardie was about to start, some Mohammedan gentlemen saw him, and in course of a short conversation gave him some information, and requested him to stay one day more, so that they might show him the real laborites and ryots, from whom he would be able to know the real state of affairs and feeling of the people. But Mr. Hardie could not make time. It is a pity that Mr. Hardfe has got for his guide and interpreter a zealous leader of the Hindu agitators, when his mission i« to ascertain ths feelings and conditions of both Hindus and Mohammedans. However honest and careful he may be, it is not therefore possible under these circumstances that he will get a right impression about the Mohammedans of this country. If Mr. Hardie is really a friend of the ryots and laborites, ho should particularly see the condition of the Mohammedans under the guidance of a recognised Mohammedan leader, as that community alone represents those classes in Eastern Bengal." "It is the greatest of pities that the simplicity of the labor leader should be thus exploited by men whose subtlety is as great as their malice." Baid The Englishman editorially. Calmly this temperate journal surveyed the visitor's movements, and pointed to the ham that might be done by the exploitation of him by native agitators.