Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1895. THE FAILURE OF THE COOPERATIVE SYSTEM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5051, 14 June 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1895. THE FAILURE OF THE COOPERATIVE SYSTEM.

There is ono thing we like about the Premier. Now and again we get from him, an outspoken flash of common sense, in which, at the expense of his own political reputation, he blurts out home truths, The co-operative system has been an essential and popular feature of the policy of his Government, hut it is a failure in the sense that every business man in the Colony anticipated, At last, Mr Seddon himself partly admits the failure, in the following terms, which we quote from a speech reported iii the Christchurcb ftm : .The co-operative system—much as it liiis'bccn abused by those who are not in a position to criticise it—has boon a commendable effort to grapple with the unemployed difficulty. That which lias been done was as.satisfactory as could he wished. It was true that some of the m'ci) had been' on the works for three years, and were beginning to look upon itias tilling to be provided every lime. The Government had found this work, and for three years men had made wages, yet they were no better off. As they earned their money so they spent it, and hotols had made a good living alongsido of the co-operative works, while the wives of some of the men had been receiving charitable aid. If men who had made big oarninga iu the past had been thrifty and put a little by, had not drank so much or frittered away their money, there would now he less distress. The fact was that New Zealand was becoming a pleasure loving community, thetheatres and circuses were wellfillcd, and the totnlisntors were patronised, and while this lnstcd wc should have the state of things which now existed. If public men would put their foot down, and endeavour to inculcate thrift, then wc should he in a fair way to reform, Instructions- had been given to his officers that the kind of men he had referred to should not be kept on co-opera-tive works." They must go, and if they suffered it served them right, Mr Seddon will, we believe, eventually abandon the co-operative principle. He says now that it was a commendable effort to grapple with the unemployed difficulty and we would not mind admitting this' much, if now that he has discovered bis effort to be a failure he will abandon : it. The community has been taxed by bis own admission to

keep in clover for three years a considerable number of " ne'er-do-wells." Then again be must realise that he has taught the working-men of New Zealand to squander their summer earniugs because they know that when winter comes they can fall back on tlio Government pay. Tlio instinct by which an insect stores up food during tlio summerfor its winter consumption is disregarded by intelligent liberals, who expect the Government to store dp their winter provision for them, The Government has been traversing the laws of nature and setting on one side the simplest rules of political economy. This has been pure ignorance on its part. Mr Seddonhas been learning by bitter experience, lessons which, had ho been an educated man, he would have picked up long before he filled a position of responsibility. Still he is learning them and in time he may become a wise and prudent ruler of men.