PREMIER AND SOCIALISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 29, 27 February 1909, Page 6

PREMIER AND SOCIALISM.

" NUT GOING TO BE LECTURED." The extreme Socialistic element loomed large in the demonstration of the unemployed at Auckland on Saturday, advantage being taken of the occasion to ventilate the favourite panacea of that party for all industrial troubles. A deputation from the unemployed visited ilie Star Hotel to see the Premier wliilc the mass of workmen remained wailing outside. The gathering had been largely augumented by onlookers, and presently some rather " warm " speeches were in progress, several leaders of the Socialist party haranguing the crowd. One of Iheuii, evidently a foreigner, held forth the various alluring ideas of nationalisation of industry,- aud then Mr R. F. Way mounted the chair.

"Our case is more urgent than decorating school children with tin medals," he said; " lot the Minister hear us instead of playing the military dingdong to school children at the Domain !" (Applause). Mr Arthur Rosser, however, poured oil on the troubled waters. He pointed out that Sir Joseph AY aid had previously made an appointment with the children, and it was best to wait till evening.

Sir Joseph then arrived on the scene and bricily addressed the gathering. He said he was sorry to hear there were unemployed, and ho would be only too glad to return early from Mototapu and meet tho deputation, and anything that he could do to alleviate the position would be done. It was not possible to so regulate affairs that there would be continual and unbroken employment for everyone. One of tho crowd : Hun everything as a State monopoly. The Prime Minister : We must deal with the world as we find it, and the Government is doing the best it can possibly can to improve conditions generally. The deputation in the evening was opened by Mr Long, president of the Trades and Labour Council. He said : "You stated this morning that you were not aware the conditions in Auckland were as bad as they really are. It ' seems rather unfortunate that you were not aware, considering that the man in 1 charge of the Labour Bureau—

Sir Joseph Ward : You had better state what you want briefly, and you had better not start lecturing me. State your facts briefly and clearly.

llr Long went on to say that the Prime Minister had ocular demonstration that morning ot the men out of work. The deputation wished lo bring under notice the representation going in at Home by whien people were induced to come here, and then had to join the ranks of the unemployed. During the course of th« interview, the speakers referred to Socialistic remedies for the trouble, but the Prime Minister replied that he was not going inlo the Socialistic question. The Oovcrunient was carrying on a very vigorous land policy, and if it could get the people on the land it would thus open up many avenues of employment. "I will cable to the High Commissioner," he said, ''and point out that numbers of men are coming here who are, not agriculturists, aud for whom there is no employment." A Voice : Why not drop all immigration for a while *

Sir Joseph Ward said 'lie would point out that it was important to workers that there should be a desirable immigration. He had no doubt the shipping companies were trying to yet business, and get people to come out. To »top that was rather a bigger question than the deputation realised. Mr Kosscr: They stop them in America.

Sir Joseph Ward : As long as we can keep clear of shipping combines it i; of the greatest importance to tiiis conn try lo encourage as many steamers as possible to como to this country. Supposing we laid an embargo mi certain -learners, would it not throw wharl lalmuren, for instance, <mt of work ? Mr Way : Why not cable the High Commissioner each, week r

Sir Joseph Ward : The High Commissioner has been telling the people for two years that the only class likely to *) well here are those able to go on the land.

Air Long : We have failed to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. Is there no possibility of ' the Government doing something at once ? Sir Joseph : If you are urging me to adopt a policy of extreme Socialism, 1 am not prepared to do it. I am prepared to try and find employment fo" those who want it. ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION. After the members of the deputation came out into the street, several of them addressed the waiting crowd. .Mr Kosser brielly related what Sir Joseph Ward had said. Then the Socialist leaders took the meeting in hand, and after a good deal of inflammatory oratory, a motion was moved to the effect, that the meeting had no confidence in Sir Joseph's Ward's administrative ability. There was a good deal of uncertainty about this motion. It was put after some more talk and declared carried, but many of the unemployed had drifted away' by llii* time, and those who were left did not exactly seem to understand Hie purport of the motion.