SOCIALISM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9104, 2 June 1908, Page 5

SOCIALISM.

ADDRESS BY MR JOHN HUNTER.

The Debating Society of the Masterton Y.M.O.A. held an open meeting last evening, when Mr John Hunter gave a most able and interesting lecture on Socialism. The chair was occupied by Mr R. Brown, and there was a very laige attendance. Mr Hunter dealt with his subject under three main heads. Under the h'rst he asked and answered "Have modern inventions benefited the masses?" This question gave the speaker an opportunity for an interesting review of the evolution of society since the introduction of steam as a motive power. He traced the growing power of those who were able to take the chief part in fostering industries, and said that the masses had not been benefited on account of a combination of capital • being necessary for the purpose of engaging extensively in manufactory. To the second proposition, "Is Socialism possible to-day?" Mr Hunter replied in the negative, contending that there were too many drones. Referring to New Zealand the speaker said it was necessary for our working population to produce fifty-two million pounds' worth of goods per year, while our total male population at last census was 482,000, and the working units might be 200,000. He believed that the Socialistic concepti n of credit notes for those who had passed through the industrial world would be a system which would fall of inherent weakness, by reason of the reduction of the working units of an unpracticable level. He related some very interesting features of the New Australia Settlement in Paraguay, and quoted Lane (the promoter's) own wcrJs a* he summed up the causes of failure. "Would to God I could alter human nature!" The third chief line of the address was directed to the query, "How will SociF.li:m come about?" Mr Hunger said that it would be perhaps one hundred and fifty years before the dream of present-day Socialists regarding a better working basis of society would be realised, and the change would not come by any revolutionary means, but would be so gradual as to be really unnoticed. Even to-day the trend of public in New Zealand appeared to be in the direction of coalition of our Parliamentary parties, while every new institution established was a step towards social amelioration. The lecturer was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.