The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1888. THE SWEATING SYSTEM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1816, 15 November 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1888. THE SWEATING SYSTEM.

At the Pan-Anglican Conference held in England recently the unequal distribution of wealth was given great prominence to. In Dunedin the matter was referred to ia the Anglican Synod held recently, but to the Eev. Eutherford Waddell is due first place for his outspoken condemnation of the grinding miseries to which the poor are subjected under the sweating system. The rev. gentleman is a Presbyterian minister, and has delivered several lectures on socialism in Dunedin. He did not advocate socialism, but explained the principles of it, and showed that it was not at all the execrable thing self-interest generally painted it. He was the first to call attention to the abominable aystem known as the “ sweating system.” It was he who brought it under notice in Dunedin. This led to an inquiry, which spread from Auckland to the Bluff, with the result that it was found that poor creatures were living in a state of incredible misery in this Christian land. The rev. gentleman was not satisfied with this. He brought the matter very forcibly before the Presbyterian Synod last week in Dunedin. Ho moved a resolution urging Church members to aid in every legitimate effort to mitigate the evil, and enjoining on ministers to preach against the sin of covetousness. He knew, he said, women who were making shirts at three-halfpence a piece, and finishing moleskin trousers at twopence halfpenny per pair. Agreeably to what we have frequently stated m these columns, he did not think that any particular class was to blame. It was due to the system of competition. This, of course, is the eommonrsense view of the ease. He urged that the Church should take cognisance of the matter. In some countries the working classes were leaving the Church, and an answer made by one of them denoted why. The reply was that the capitalists prayed for the working classes on Sunday and preyed on them during the other six days. A bitter feeling had been aroused by the inequalities of wealth. Lusto of gain was demoralising, as it destroyed the happiness of hundreds of poor people. After condemning in unmeasured terms the rage for cheapness, and pronouncing the defrauding of persons of their just wages as robbery, he made two suggestions—namely, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be preached in condemnation of the sweating system,” and that the co-operative system should be encouraged. It is, of course, only natural for a minister of the gospel to ground all efforts upon a religious basis, and we find no fault with the rev. gentleman for doing so. While giving him all credit for sincerity, we must say that his preaching—or the preaching of all the ministers of' religion in the country—would have very little avail. As regards co-

operation, it would require to be universally adopted to be of any use. Instead of mitigating the evil, partial co-operation would only make matters worse. A co-operative store would sell cheap; the other stores would try to compote with it, and thus competition would only be made keener. The result, of course, would be that goods would have to be produced cheaper. We have always said that the law must step in and insist on fair wages being given, if a remedy is to \be found for this blighting, blasting, disgraceful evil.

When Mr Waddell delivered bis . lectures in Dunedin letters appeared in the papers denouncing him as a socialist. When he spoke in the Synod he also met with strenuous opposition. The capitalist has his friends everywhere. Professor Dunlop —very learned in political economyattributed the “ sweating system ” to the immorality of drunken husbands. Dr Macgregor opposed the proposal because it was opposed to political economy and tho laws of Nature, and the Rev. Mr Eyley because he was told by a manufacturer that girls would rather work at 5s per week in factories than go out into the country to work. With regard to the latter, has it occurred to him that there is no room for them in the country ? Those people who are trying to make a living in the country find it very difficult to do so at present. There are more people in the country districts than there is employment for, and to tell unfortunate townspeople to go into the country for employment is to give them stones instead of bread. No doubt girls would rather be in. towns than in the country, but how can a poor woman with children leave her home? With regard to Professor Dunlop and others who attributed the evil to intemperance, they ought to remember that human nature is frail —that they have to deal with men as they are and not as they ought to be. If men were as they ought to be they would make different laws for themselves. But apart from this the objection is silly. It amounts to this: that because a man is a drunkard it is not right to interfere with the system which keeps his poor, miserable, broken-hearted wife working from 8 o’clock in the morning to 11 o’clock at night earning only 2s—as is the case in Dunedin at present. Is the fact of her husband being a drunkard a good excuse for defrauding the poor woman of her wages ? But it is for Dr Macgregor’s objection we have the greatest contempt. He objects to any interference with the laws of political economy and tho laws of nature, as if they both harmonised. We have the greatest respect for the laws of nature, but none for the laws of political economy as they are generally laid down, For instance, political economy sometimes suggests the placing of restrictions on population as the great means of benefiting the poor. Malthus started this theory, and it has been upheld by Fawcett and others. Does that harmonise with the laws of nature ? Political economy is written to suit capital — its chief aim is to suggest how to accumulate wealth, no matter if it all gets into one purse—and the inequalities of social life are things beneath its notice. Mr Waddell was defeated, but be has succeeded in placing on the sweating system the indelible brand of infamy. An amendment to bis resolution calling upon all Churchmen to discountenance it was carried, and it may exercise some slight check on it. All honor to Mr Waddell for his disinterested efforts on behalf of those who cannot help themselves! He has placed the poor of this colony under an obligation to him, and we trust that neither calumny nor contumely will make him relax his efforts in their cause. We thinks ministers of religion pay too little attention to these matters—whether through human respect or not we do not presume to say—and we are pleased to notice the prominence given to the subject at the present time.