Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1894. SPLENDID WORK.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4912, 28 December 1894, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1894. SPLENDID WORK.

SECOND EDITION

t "Mr Reevks made clear to Austva- , lians tho splendid work that lias been • done by the Government of this ' country in the cause of the wageearners, both as workers and tax payers." So writes the New Zealand' Times respecting the Minister of I Labour, and it'is something to know that there is left in the community an intelligent writer who is capable _ of this amount of appreciation of ' such a dismal failure, Mr Reeves may make it clear to Australians . that splendid work has been done in , this colony, but can he make it clear to New Zealanders P We fail to see that he has mado the cause of the • wage-eamera any better, If a les- " sened wage fund and reduced wages are a sign of the cause progressing, he is entitled to boast, but most men regard these plain and palpable symptoms as retrogressive. Employers can now get skilled labour a ■ third cheaper than it was obtainable at the time when Mr Reeves took office, and unskilled labour lias practically no market quotation. It is procurable in any quantity and at any price. ' And this is the splendid I work that Mr Reeves has been parading to the Australians. : Again we are told that the cause of the taxpayer shares in the 'triumph, and that labour is benefitted by,some imaginary changes in this department. Are Customs Duties any less than they were at the time Mr Reeves took ! office, aud are the "necessaries of life any cheaper! Even Mr Reeves dare not affirm_this. All that his Govein- ' menfc has done has been to find billets for some two or three thousand persons at tho expense of the taxpayer, and this we submit rather tends to increase than to lighten his load. Mr Reeves : is a distinct failure as a politician, and claims with Mi- McKenzie the distinction of being, the most unpopular member .of the Cabinet, Even liia own party would be delighted to get rid of him, And perhaps'his trip to Australia was the most populaivofhisMinis'ferial'Acts; If ho would only give himself together to' Australia, and if Australia would only liavo him, tho ivprkgr in New " 'Zealand might have a chance of better' times. Weroight be wrong bit we shall be 'glad if the New Zealand Times ov my other Liberal organ can show'any splendid work that Mr Reeves' has done in this Colony. Hehas passed a'number of Labour Bills which have frightened employers of'labour from giving out work, but what; lifts he done to benefit labour.f Can any woi'kingman in this district tell, us, for we ourselves can onty.see tlie injury inflicted on the writing win,'-

,whioh 'such distinctions should be ■ conferred, and thoy, are losing the of their own party. The Li beral priuoiplein question i a clearly laid down by our contemporary, and it .is that only those who can exercise influence at election times are fitted to serve on the roll of Justices of the Peace, . ;"We ourselves are altogether old "fashioned and out of date, for ws"al>vayß 'held, the now : exploded ' the~ gentlemen selected should be the men in the community best: fitted by conduct, character, education and capacity to discharge judicial functions, But no, the new Liberal i.teaching.'reyerses : 'alltbis! It is the men who make their influences felt in an election who claim J.Pr, siiipas i.re ward of their . unß.elfish' devoti on to the Liboral cause.; ; Of course 'there' is this draw!-! back, that Bomfi' active persons in'tai: election bear notorious ill characters"; are noted for serious misconduct and are without education, but these trifling drawbacks do not stand-in the way of theii'.prqmotiqn, .. Some proper appointments liav.e undoubtedly been made by the present Government, but, oil the other hand some very objectionable persbns have been gazetted for political reasons. Ab far as the last batch is concerned we think there is a little sign of improvement, a tendency to pass the glaringly unfit, and to select men against whom there is no well defined black mark. There are some honest men, with a little self-respect, on the roll, who, though 'they be adherents of the Liberal party, resent the addition to it of undesirable persons.