The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1886. WORKMEN'S WAGES BILL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1541, 5 August 1886, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1886. WORKMEN'S WAGES BILL.

The present Government appear to be at their wits’ ends to do something to show the working man that they hare not been unmindful of his interests. They know very well that they are looked to by the working men as their great legislative champions, and thot they most do something to show how truly they have the good of that unhappy class at heart. They know also how easy it is to hoodwink the working man, and relying on this they have introduced a measure purporting to be specially designed for bis good. We doubt very much whether the working man will thank them for it. It is not what the working man wants, it is not what he has frequently asked for: but of course politicians never do what is wanted. They manage somehow to do exactly the reyerse, The object of the bill we have under review is to compel employers of labor to pay their employees in cash—that is, in coin or bank notes—instead of cheques or goods. “ The entire amount of wages earned by or payable to any artisan, laborer, or workman engaged on work or to be paid for by the day or by the piece, shall be actually paid in the current coin of the realm, or in bank notes.” If this Bill, passes storekeepers and such people who may have a cnntra-accouni against their workmen must pay them cash, and (rusts to the workmen’s honesty to pay them back. It will not do for the storekeeper to make up his bill and receipt it and give it to the workman, together with whatever balance is coming to him. If the storekeeper should deduct the amount of bis account from the workman’s wages, the latter conld turn round and sue him in a Court of Justice. This will be one of the effects of the measure if it becomes law,, but the great object in view is to meet the case of contractors who keep stores in connection with their works, and who are supposed to retain for the goods supplied the best part of the workmen’s wages. It is possib'e that a necessity to restrict the actions of such gentry exists, but we do not see how it is possible to do it. Let us suppose, for instance, that a contractor’s camp is situated 10 or 20 miles from the nearest store, where are (he workmen to gel the necessities of life from if they are not supplied by the contractor ? If they undertake to supply their own wants it will be necessary for them to employ a cook, to cart goods to their work, and take many other steps necessary for their comfort. In oar opinion, by the time they have all this done, they will hare to pay as much, and have less satisfaction, than they woo’d have had they been supplied by the contractor. The Bill will put a great many people to inconvenience. Under it people cannot pay by cheque, and contractors or persons employing workmen in bushtailing, ro«d making, or other 1 works distant from town will find it J awkward to have to carry bags of money eat to these works to pay their men. ’ It is just what leads to bU(dir.mging 1 and its concomitant evils. Ijowever, 1 our great social reformer, the illustrious , Knight Commander of 6t, Michael and i

St. George, must hove something to show the working man when he next seeks his suffrage. He can show how he has provided for the working man so that he cannot be robbed of his money, and make as much capital out of it as he did out of the Property Protection Act of 1084. Bui in our opinion it would have been far better had the Government looked after providing suitable homes for working nun, and also means of earning a livelihood, than tried to make provisions for preventing their being defrauded. As a general rule working men are sharp enough to look after themselves in that respect, and so long as they keep away from the public-house there is very little danger of anyone cheating them. But jjiey cannot make laws that would enable them to throw aside the swag, and live at home. Sir Robert Stout might possibly be able to do tbis for them—at leas', he eonld try. His Government is powerful at present. He could do many things he has not attempted, and amongst them be could make an effort to provide homos for the working men on the lines so frequently advocated in this paper. But it is hopeless to expect Governments in this colony to do any thing but ..muddle. We have no statesmen, we have many good speakers, but none possessing constructive capabilities, and until persons thus gifted get into’ 1 power we m*y expect nothing but muddling legislation.

JUSTICES OF THE PEaCE. Again yesterday those who had business to do in the H.M. Court of Temuka were put to inconvenience through no one being present to administer justice, Mr Beswick for some reason did not attend, neither did any Justices of the Peace, and so ail the civil cases had to be adjourned for a week. Desperate steps rere taken as usual to gel two Justices, to try some police cases, and at 2 p.m. Messrs Clark and JLnwood were got to sit. It is bad enough for the people to have the low indifferently administered, but to have come prepared with their cases and their counsel from all parts of the district only to find no Magistrate present, is extremely annoying. We have frequently pointed • out the absolute necessity of more Justices of the Peace being appointed without avail. If we had in our midst a “ tenth transmitter of a foolish face ’* claiming to bare the blood of the Plantagenet, the Csesars, the Howards, in his veins, however he got it, our representative would not have the least hesitation in recommending him for the commission of the peace. But to place a person of plebian origin in such a position ! Ye gods forfend. It is certainly annoying to the people of Temuka to see Justices of the Peace “a» thick as leaves in Yallambrosa” all round them, wherever they turn, while they themselves have been crying out for the last three or four years for the appointment of more Justices in vain. But what is still more humiliating is to be told that the reason the appointments are not made is because none of our citizens are fit for the position.