KEIR HARDIE INTERVIEWED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9015, 28 December 1907, Page 5

KEIR HARDIE INTERVIEWED.

—, • HIS OPINION OF DOMINION EDITORS. THEY ARE "UNSCRUPULOUS CADS." BT TELEGRAPH—PBESS ASSOCIATION. PALMERSTON N., December 27. A "Manawa*;u Times" representative had a brief but breezy interview with Mr Keir Hardie on the railway station, yesterday afternoon, as he passed through to Wellington. He declined to say anything about New Zealand. "Well, are you prepared to say something about your tour in India?" "No, I will not," snapped Mr Hardie. "But what, I will say is that your editors ought to be ashamed of themselves. They are unscrupulous cads. You can publish that if you like.*" "Certainly, with the greatest of pleasure," responded the pressman. "But don't you intend to explain your position, and put yourself right with the public?" "No, I do not," replied Mr Hardie. "I have nothing to explain. lam not on my trial. It is the editors who are on theirs, remember that." ARRIVAL AT WELLINGTON. A PUBLIC WELCOME IN TOWN . HALL. MR HARDIE'S RESPONSE. WELLINGTON. December 27. Mr Keir Hardie arrived in Wellington, to-night, and wa3 accorded a public welcome at a supper in the concert room of the Town Hall. About 130 persons were present. The Mayor (Hon. T. W. Hislop) presided. He stated that their guest in the whole of his career had exhibited self-abnegation, and a determination to better the position of the class which required help regardless of his own personal interests and comfort.

The Hon. J. Rigg,. M.L.C., endorsed the Mavor's remarks, and the Hon. W. W. McCardle, M.L.C., also spoke appreciatively of Mr Keir Hardie.

In responding, Mr Hardie said that had he believed all he had read at Home about New Zealand and its extreme policy he would have hesitated about risking his prolession by being seen here. He conveyed a fraternal message from the Labour Party of the House of Commons. His visit to New Zealand had no political or official significance. He was simply here to meet old friends and campaigners in the early days of the movement at Home. He urged holding Imperial conferences of labour justas they held Imperial Conferences now, though Labour which was mostly affected by the questions dealt with was not represented. If his tour round the dominion served even indirectly to bring those connected with this movement into touch and thereby making the way for a united policy in the near future it would not have been undertaken in vain.