HOME AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 4, 29 January 1909, Page 4

HOME AFFAIRS.

HON. G. J. SMITH'S RETURN. APPALLING POVERTY. Tile Hon. (J. J. Smith, M.L.C., who returned by the lonic on Tuesday after spending twelve months in England and Scotland, had something of interest to say to a New Zealand Times representative in connection with matters at Hone.

POVERTY AND DISTRESS. "I was appalled," he said, "at llu j poverty and distress on all hands at ilome. This was noticeable in all the towns 1 visited. It is getting in,m ' acnte now than it has been I'or years. Mv own personal opinion of the cause, gleaned from a hasty rush through the country, is that it has resulted from the English market having been captured by the foreign lnanufactur-r. This 'has, of course, thrown many Englisli workmen out of employment. I beJieve ill tarilV reform to alleviate ia some degree the distress, and the moveincut in this direction is gaining ground rapidly in England. As suon as this comes about the position will be relieve;! to some extent. The new Patents Act is also likely to bring relief, factories are now being establi-hed in various parts of tin? Old Country, ami when these get into working order they will absorb a good number of the unemployed. "In the early part of my visit- the markets for New Zealand produce wen' adverse to Xew Zealand inierosts; but towards the end of the year they had considerably improved.*' Mr. Smith .-aw a deal of the women's suffrage movement, and was present at the big demonstration at Hyde l'ark. and he also saw the procession in which the graduates of various colleges and represenlatives from the oversea colonies took part. "Both were very successful,'' he said, "and the ultimate result will be that the iranchise will be extended to women within Urn next few years. Both political parties evidently recognise that a new force has come into existence, and they both show signs of wishing to secure the as' sistance and co-opei nl'ion *)f such a power. THE TERRITORIAL ARMY.

l 't took the opportunity of looking into the defeiu-e (juestron. and 1 spent a week in camp with one of the new territorial brigades. 1 think the scheme excellent. and that in the ranks "f the territorial army they have got at the present time the pick of tile old volunteers. The way in which Ihe scheme lias been taken up iu various parts or the country is a matter totally outside party politics ctinl this is one of the best signs in connection with the creation nf such a force. JSoth political parties art; united in an endeavor to bring the scheme to a successful i*>uc, I here is. however, 1 am sorry to say, the same lack of appreciation of the responsibilities of citizenship among the great masses of voung men at Home as exists in "New Zealand. On the other hand, they have got some very able and enthusiastic people in all grades of society, and these, like the politicians, are doing their best to further the scheme and provide for the home defence of the Old Land."