The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1889. WHITE SLAVERY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1851, 9 February 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1889. WHITE SLAVERY.

In addition to publishing several articles on the “ sweating system,” the Otago Daily Times has now attacked it in its leading columns. It says that its special reporter had difficulty in getting the information, because the poor creatures who could give it were afraid of doing so for fear of giving offence to their employers. We boast of our freedom and our cilivisation, and when we hear of the African slave trade our indignation knows no bounds. We are surprised that John Bull does not buckle on his broadsword at once, and put an end for ever to such an abominable system. And, because John Bull does not do so, we do not hesitate to suggest that he is degenerating, and that he is not the John Bull he used to be. Tet here, at our own doors, is a system of slavery carried on in the light of day that is a disgrace to any civilised community. There is, of course, a difference between African black slavery and New Zealand white slavery, but the conditions under which the black and white slave live makes the position of the latter probably more galling and heart-breaking than that of the former. The black 1 slaves know very little, if anything, of the comforts and conveniences of civilisation; they are from their infancy inured to the hardships of a semi-savage existence, and their condition at the best is not a pleasant one. We doubt whether the difference between black slavery and black freedom is so wide as the difference between the condition of those who are surrounded with luxuries of ordinary life in this colony and that of the wretched poor who have to live on 5s or Gs per week, and sometimes less, as they cannot always get constant employment. The slavery that existed in America was for preferable to this. There it was the interest of the master to feed and clothe his slaves properly, as otherwise they could not work well for him, or, if he wanted to sell them, they would not realise good prices, A man takes care of his horses because he finds it to his interest, and in the same way the slave-owners of America took care of their slaves. There can be no doubt that existence under American slavery was preferable to existence under the “ sweating system ” as it exists in Dunedin—yet we are told that the poor creatures are afraid to complain. Such is the slavish condition to which they are reduced that they dare not exercise the right of even grumbling, which it is said is the right of every Englishman, and if this does not constitute slavery as degrading and galling as if their masters had power to buy and sell them it is really not far off it. We ought, therefore, to look after our slaves at home before troubling ourselves with the slavery which exists on the dark continent. The Times further asserts that one firm alone is responsible for this. The other firms d® not sympathise with it, and are indignant because they are forced into reducing wages by the competition of the offending firm. The article then winds up by saying, It now rests with the public whether action of any kind is to be taken. The law can do nothing, but public opinion once unmistakeably expressed is more powerful than the law, and public opprobrium more dreaded.” It is true that the present law cannot do anything, but when it is found that the law is inadequate to deal with existing conditions it is the duty of the legislature to frame fresh laws to meet the new necessities. It is all nonsense to talk about the restraint public opinion can place on people competing for supremacy in trade. Is it possible that the grasping, callous-hearted nigger-driver who commenced this cutting down of wages can be affected by public opinion ? All the effect the Times’ articles will have on him will be to render him more cruel and unrelenting still. Nothing but an Act of Parliament that would render him liable to pains and penalties can effect a change in his disposition towards his employees, and, as there many like him throughout the colony, the sooner they are placed under proper restraint the better.

If, as the Times asserts, the whole body of traders, with one or two exceptions, are indignant at wages having been reduced to starvation level, the difficulties in the way of new legislation is reduced to a minimum. The employees and every honest man will be in favor of it, and almost all the traders will lend their support. Indeed, we see no reason why the traders should not welcome such an innovation. The present system does not give an honest trader fair play. His grasping rival may at any time succeed insetting his goods made cheaper, and thus take away bis customers by being able to sell cheaper. If a law existed under which the prices for making these articles were fixed, all the traders would thus be placed on equal terms, and all start fair. If this wore done, no one could possibly be a loser by it, except the buyers of goods, who would have to pay more for them, and we think it only right and proper that they should do so. Who is there who wishes to see poor creatures working their lives out on starvation wages so that he

himself might be able to buy an article a little cheaper f We hope that very few such people exist, and, therefore, we have come to the conclusion that legislation which would stamp out the slavery of the “sweating system” would be hailed with acclamation throughout the length and breadth of the colony.