LIBERALISM

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1919, Page 6

LIBERALISM

its Aspirations and Achievements WAGES PROTECTED. (Published by arrangement). (No. 2.) The same principle of subordinating all the abstract theories of Conservatism to the general welfare was ulus" trated in the Truck Adt of IS9I. Up to that time, an employer could make money out of his men by forcing them to take their wages in part in the form ol' goods that he sold or commodities that they helped him to produce. The I luck Act made wages payaote in money only, and the men were tree to buy where they liked at,ruling prices. Naturally there was further outcry at this '-interference" of Government with the employers' right to cheat the wage-earner. But the champions of Liberalism had their answer always ready—it was "government lor the people/ And. so they went on to protect the wages of men working for contractus. In 18112 the Liberal Government passed through the Legislature "The Contractors' and Workmen's Lien Act," giving the worker absolute security for his wages. ! SWEATING ABOLISHED. Most people nowadays have forgotten' that at that time—less than 30 years ago factories and shops were conducted simply on a go-as-you-pleasse system, and entirely in accordance with the employers' views and interests. Generally speaking sweating was rampant. VVomen and young persons were victimised by overwork on a starvation wage, sanitary conditions depended entirely on the employers' tastes. Protection against accident from machinery was almost unheard of ; hours were enormous y Jong, wages were for the most part absurdly low, weekly half-holidavs were unknown, and statutory holidays were remarkably few. The Liberal <Jovernment began at once the process of reform, and in 1891 it passed its first lactones Act, applying in all its provisions the one invariable test' of the peoples welfare. It protected children and young people working in factories, limiting their hours within rf ason Moreover it fought for and secured sanK tary conditions and a weekly half-holi-in the next year it struck the shoos and aroused even stronger protests than for°Vi fh- 1 " We " t0 remeni!,er Mi", tern.* .t i' ng WllS typiCal Evßr ? h ~ tempt at change was met in that way not only ,n the matter of factories anil achievement? alon « tte ° f Liberal THE NEW UPPER HOUSE. ml™]"' ™ ttW that the tools reform 0 f" , in % Gve » tful was the Hm-„ 1 ? he S>shtiVß Council. In mat hT f e > er House the mam bulwark of Conservatism, chiefly bewuse of .the system of life teS of Labor ii ' rßt nommated a number And Liberalism is Democracy first and last and every time. THE NEW LAND POLICY. J'V"? 0f tlie Und Act "t 1892 was tne next important reform. This ™i g ° 0d WOrk "' a3 be S»n by Sir in ti the Minister for Lands in the Balknce Ministry.' To encourasr" ; Vith S f curit y tenure afd hUp to all from the State was the one great object at which the Act aimed. th> Lf V r T asure P resei 'ved most of eating tenures, abolished some amended others in the direction auS ones L E/r plC ' and ad<led unes. Among these was the lease in antfof'the r liCh the holdm ten ' the Stntp C rr-. " nder the control of :l l 'J, ' " I ' ll ' 1 ' o» r ,h was that the tenant obtained the un earned increment. Un ' In the end McKenzie prevailed after . ,i„,,, «,„ egl( f jjfj. ■ «

BIG ESTATES BROKEN UP. Another groat achievement on the part m the same year, midc r the Rtntd plied under tins system. Thousands'ot 5S*W;Rw'4 CHEAP POSTAL RATES. In the first Ballaiice year Sir Josenh Ward signalised his tenure of the Post Office portfolio by passing the Post Office Aot of 1891, which gave ns inland and " av ® wider iise to the postal note, system. It was the beginning of a great career. In bringing down that measure Sir Joseph, as Ballaiice s youngest lieutenant, was merely proving that Liberalism, like nZ^ a th' n^ rßet 'l nothi " g '' ttlld ne « ,ects S el™,,™" h This was but the first of the many special achievements by W ],M, Sir , Jos y eph V> ard justified his inclusion in the Ba knee Mimstry, and won his claim in all 1 fh» Tm* lndis P ens; <Me factor m all kibeial Mim&teries for the future. (To be continued).