The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and excat Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2883, 6 January 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and excat Justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, JAN. 6, 1891.

Tin: papers reeeived from recently devote in my columns to reporting the speech"* of Mr i! ladsi,',o- ,1 ii ii iilt liis last. Midlothian Mis ui tenuiccs, ;i 11hoiiL,'li r)|ev do noL carry tlie v. liich ,|,ev have done in past tilifs. cannot In; 'iu*ol,"c.ted I'V those svla.se plea sure or business it is to um.ler.-.Land, as fitr as possible, the politics of the Empire. It v.'onld he scarcely to term the achievement miraculous. Iliac a ihe a"e of SI years should be able lo address vast'asscinblages villi all tliu lire and elu'i'ieiic ■ ol pristum lintiihood can but excite admiration for his mentai and physica 1 capa city. Aftia' perusal of the .speeches, however, out. <an hardlv fait to exp r a'icne:: disappoint in .ait there is the same old i'\ of woid.s,

loop-holes lcit by to escapi, and say, when occasions oilers, that, he meant something altogether dif-

ferent. . Ther.; was one matter upon which he touched ; one that is likely to be to the fore with us at an early date, where this failing v -'ay paiticuiaily apparent. Speaking of the eight hours' movement, he said, " t have considerable, doubts as to the extent to which the method ol an -Vet of Parliament and the method of combination will work together. 1 do not say they will not ; tin-*?, thuujs arc not to boji'ilffd b>/ abstract principles. Thev to be judged of bv aiinlying our commonsense to understand and to measure the merits of each case as it arises. But this L do say —that if the labouring classes of country uere to contract the habit, whenj over there, was a dilficulty before i then), of calliti'J! for an Act of I';'-' - i liament to put, it down, instead _of endeavouring by their action amongst themselves, and by the exercise of healthy publie_ opinion., they would seriously deteriorate the habits of their minds, and as ) free men they would come to j stand upon a lower, and nut. a j higher position than that winch thev have occupied before. The ! italics in the quotation are ours, and prove the ability and will of the great orator to face both ways. Should the question become one calculated to turn the elections, JXi Gladstone car. declare in favour of it, and assert that lie had said long a <v o that he could not accept the abstract principle against an eight hours' day. although there is only one inference to be drawn from the whole of the sentences we have quoted—that lie believes the passin"' of such a measure would be injudicious and detrimental to tlie workmen themselves.

\\\s perfectly agree witU Jiiui, ~ and trust that when the Hill is «! brought forward iu Parliament, as it is sure to bo, it will be rejected. t.< Tho eight hours' system, whore tho £ nature of tho will al- n low js already e»tabli;.l».eil in tins p colons bv custom. mul the passing l( 'aioasuiv en forcing the custom l could Hilly have tin.- vlf.iCl ot caus- £ iijo- inconvenience in many t case-, and. what i..- lU'.'lV- •' iuriovi'.-!v uH'eetiiii- Ihe intca'sts , "„{ riiijiloynftii'.l euipl'-'yed. | li'ur d is i :| 1 rd'eslly iu> jj' posirfibii: to i'-PI-'ly iiniasuro j ~ to farm uorK and inany otlicr in i I liustrifs. Tin- warning ot' -Mr h Gladstone sliould bo carefully con- | fiidoreil by working men, they t should be self-reliant : when thev c have a grievance they have only to , ventilate it properly and they are ; certain to iind public opinion en- • listed oil their side, and whim this is the case they are sure within a i limih'i! time to have the _ evil I'omedii d, whether it be material or , ;;i!utimcnlal. There is a certain number of members of the present Parliament who have, been returned as representatives of physical labour and these men so far as we can I <rather arc all pledged to support a revolutionary fiscal pol icy, and measures directly bearing on the relations between the employers and employed. They will without doubt endeavour to secure legislation which shall neutralise the principle of common ; u w iliat every man is a free agent and justified iu working for whom t iio iikorf itiici on what terms lie pleases, and that for any individual or combination of moil to interfere with him is a crime to be vigorously punished. The labour representatives cannot fail 1o recogni->e tho disastrous policy ot strikes and lock outs, and if they have tho interests of their constituents at heart they will strain every nerve to secure such legislation as will establish Courts of Arbitration, and compelling obedience to their decisions. ileceut events, however, go to show that such a measure is not wanted by tho working they want mo re than any body of men with balanced mind:; \\otild be likely to award tliein Their do--1 mauds are only limited b\ their supposed ability to enforce them. Tho labour repi-c.oritativos have not ,-ecured a bod of roses by their elections. If they please their oou- : .stituents they will ask more than, presuming they are reasonable men. I they will feel justified iu applying I for on the other hand, if they do 1 J not. they will hive a very bad 3 riuarier of an hour when they render ian account ot Uieir stewardship. It is to be hoped they will ncognise i the t';iet that their class can only I flourish with the country, and that i fj, lii'vler judgments will lead jtlie,.. »'•: .•••>»\oniently 'he , I j,Tr U-, .eniport ;"\vh..,'u. • : --ly i-i - : frcrxi Lheir vie\- oy thur o\,r " " t- ... . ■ » :, v eue.n'.ng Of , Vlil , se,iking to onlist

111(-in under tlicir politienl linnncr. Let us hope; tll.lt tlu'y will l'UCOirilise tin: tact tliilt spiteful taxation of one class is. in tlu: lonj; run, certain to prove disastrous to their own.