LESSONS FROM THE DOMINION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 228, 20 January 1911, Page 5

LESSONS FROM THE DOMINION

MR. HODGE'S IMPRESSION. HIS MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND. Auckland, Thursday. Mr. J. Hodge, the English Labor M.P., speaking at the civic reception to-day, said one thing that had struck him in the colonics was the necessity of an All-Red route. (Applause.) This was essentially so in the case of telegraphic communication with the Old Land. He had discovered the disadvantages and deficiencies as a result of his tour, and when he got back to England he would be prepared to initiate or back up anyone who would bring pressure upon the Home Government to make the All-Red route complete. (Applause.) There was nothing like getting information first hand, and after his experience of the Dominion he would be able to tell the people at Home: "You need have no fear of lending New Zealand money, as it is being spent in works of a reproductive character." He was afraid that it was the financiers who "rigged" the market to suit themselves at the expense of the persons who were borrowing.

At Home they rather prided themselves on their municipal government. They made a feature of the municipalisation of works of public utility, and he was afraid New Zealand was not so advanced in this matter as the Old Country.

New Zealand had, however, gone further in some other ways. One thing that struck him was the institution of wages boards for sweated industries. The people in the Old Land were realising that something must be done to get rid of the awful poverty, and lie thought they could not do better than take a lesson from the Dominion.