BRITAIN REVISITED.

Evening Star, Issue 12743, 17 August 1907, Page 5

BRITAIN REVISITED.

CHANGES OF A QUARTER- Ol* \ CENTURY. SOCIAL. POLITICAL. AND RELIGIOUS, lßy J. L. Ki.u.r.j No. 2. LONDON. Juno 26. Progress all along the line has p> be ire ported, and progmw of a, most gratifying kind. Colonists who have been abnemfrom the. Mother Country for many yen'-, mo apl tv» think Duct inattem here remain as (boy were, except for tho growth of cities and Die devekijuiKuit of iivlu.stry a.m 1 trade. But (bn Old Countiy has not .Jet still. AViDi all ita oonservatinin and hs love for Die bid ways, it ha.s made gigaai, in slricioe towards betteimeuL. In (be eoloui-.xs xu- liear a goad deal about vim down-1 rodden masses -of GuesiX Britain ; but a tour of tho country is cxilcalated lo dispel llm rotions fonno.l upon partial i. It may l>e tixrely admitted that on Dm wbcAa ooudiDoos in Now Zealand are nynv equal—(hat life in freer, fuller and CKirr to the person than hj. is in Die B-rilkii but it is a im.il.oke to Hippoßc that., socially coaddorod. t-ho.re is a gnnl- gulf hetwwcm tho workers of New //’.da-nd and t-imsix of Great Britain. TI»o dwellings. th-> .-.urioimdingt;, Dm Nothing ami Die fcmil of Die omnmun jieople. iu this oaunt.ry h-.ivc un-dcj'gone, vart. improvemsuiL dining the la'll- 1-wivUy-fivo ycare. It in tnnx Dial, in ibi largo chk-.s tliere is mill much <m’.rmmvding. Glasgow has to a great extent gei nd of Die re.piwieh tba.i. formerly m-ic-d ii]xm it, in this nvpvvl, and 1 Isvc. ix a. tdric.l, municipal ic-gul-alion an lo the pievisiou of air space for each dwellei j but in Ijondon lL> (TinKialti rdill exist, of several taiiuTi<» occupying oja- ajuiTtment only large oixwgb to accu:uMKxi.it.e. one. Part this ev.srorewdnig is. in ]JTt>|iori ion (o Dm population, no greater than prevails .in New Zealand. At iv.ust. one e.ily could be- na.meil in that, luippy locntry where two baud lies fivquonllv 'occupy i.ho sa.nm dwelling under remdilions inimical to b-altli ami morality. Tim now h-o-miij that bavn been erected of late years :n Britain for Dm M-urkem ivlleeg |.bi ial u]»nail’d tendency imci-ni; givater conv foil. Iu Sootlaabd. with wlii.di l was miff--.; familiar twouly U> Dtub-y yean, a.go, thii; ioipi'ovoir.c’.nt is not, imnkiD. Tire old kreni-iiw of a “single end” are ;!isappc.i.rj)ig and are Ix'ing ix-])l;u»d by huiMingw of a boltei’ ftUunp. The ]>eu|joi'l,ion of ]>;opln in o-.uifortablo cLrinnustii.uuv-i is gßiiler Dr;un it lonnorly wa-. Sonin vdkqme; and towns harm been improved Imyoml lecmgnitioii.

-All over Die Bril.Uh Isles the people live on bolter ami more ahiindam u»i than lonrojdy. ConijKuyd xvrDi Die «Uite of Diings that I remember. Dm; living might bo oillod hixiimeiy, Dropjnng in, ha.|ihay,arel, lo a, working man's homo at dinner time, you will find Die family par-tak-ing of a moa-I of Dnvo eoun-trs, erpial to that of the average eokmial ivorlwr. Tlw “ halcsiome ]>.irril-cli ” is no longo-r “Abiiet of Scotia’s 1 (axL ' You will til’d in.«tead l.ie.con ami eges for Imeakfatit, iikxu for dinner, wiDi jw;r!ia-pv buianas for dctworl. At tb; til no of my arrival, Englusii ami Siolti.sh pivapkj xv-ere oaliug early ].-oia;o!’K ]’> sn tlvi’ ifwtiMy J/aUuidt;, whirtlt twrivc a, inomh or morn bcfivvi Dk*-o from FTam-e or Jersey. M-onx from habit i.han nnswitv. J fancy, Dae pcwjihs'here are very «conoilucaj in (Jieir use <rt butter. In jnivato h«mc’s they npread it. vej-y fjfvwingly ; in r<«ki-n----«-aiß Limy give you a Little; dab of it, ami arc caiefid to charge xon for w. A Glare gow morohanj; told n» that, Diin habit, ns largely rcppowihlo for Dvg nniethre of blonding butter. 'Pho (vviple bl;e a butter Dial ifi “ sprcadaWe,” ;md if New Zealand butter worn emppliod by Diem in ite pnre atatc to Die consumer, rt. would he voted v;;u-;U;liiL bccausn its Kt.iffnnsr- xronld prevent, its h;mg 6proad thinly. In the large eiU<« yon see diKplayti of fmit that would jint any eokmial fruit dealor to Die blush of f.hanio. Bimungham, in particular, has cxwileut sliops, with all lands of Homo an>J exotic fruite displayed to advantage,. Tlie iim«.( ftbopy iu all the cuihvj and icrwn.s I visiti.sl -ir-o numczvaK and well kept, and gixe i.widena; of tlie. large extent 1.0 which Din uonsiuuptiou of Iksh food lias grown. The CKTthiug of the jvoplc, too, has improved greatly, hi view of Dio ehi'.ijincss of articles of attire. Dirt i.s not surprifiing. I have uren men's aork.s on wle at, 21, d a ]>air; now ironocn, a.I, Is 7t,<i a pair; and in Birmmgl-un yon nm have a suit of clot lire to measure for LL. Jfa.th and boots aro 25 jm.t cent, cheujxir than they are in New Zoaland, and the sanK- i.s tn» wiDi n-givrd to in<»ii oilmr articles. In Liverpool and Glasgow a mimlx’r of female factory workers ami maiTicd xvoin-' n of Dio poorer ehiss still dnsss in unsightly fasbion—a dull-i’ohnod jicttiooiH. or skirt, with a coarse woollen siiawl thrown over (.heir heeda and shoulders ; but the vounger women oi these clash's ;ue la.rgx’.lv adopting Die style of blouse and liar. At. i-imes. um. one moots barefooted children and ox-en women ; hut this is now (he rare exception, wliereas 1 rotnomber when practically .ill children wont liarelooted from Die m-gin ning of April Dll Die end of Octob.i. It would bo emmooufi to conclude that, n i, jwx'crrty wliicb imliifxxs women lo dire, m untidy fasliion and send out their children barefooted. It is old habit or carelessnov;. just as it is craziutas ” and not no<sMsit.y which kada bund reds of English people at. present to jiar.vclo the streets bamrheadtel. 'J'alLon altogcDier, :ukl allowing for the exceptions named, a British crowd looks as comfortable and well chid any to bo re-i n in New Zealand.

>Somc of the social impu>vo.m< nl. j.. d. , to increased wages; more to Die g-rowi.li habits of temperance. The latter ca.i-e i.. every where operating, and rt most- maik- -i iu Soollaad. 1 cannot, to well cnmpatxEngland of to-day wiDi the Englaam twenty-five yeair. ago; but Dm> largo number of women who drink in public-ltomcs in Dio southern part of Britain te.nnk me as portentous. In a public-bou.re in a respectable residential street, ne.tx Hassell square, 1 stood at. the bar on Duvo suparato occasions and counted the oartoim’rs. On two occasions there wore more wormm mon—once there were eleven wrwnen to live men. TJieso women were all ap]xiren,.lv of the honest working classes; .sovrral of them were mother? with young eldktre.i • all of Diotn xrere of inature yea r;; few of them wore aeeonrpaiiicd by' men. I sa\noUii.ng o/ Dm cafes and hotels around Leicester wnuue, where "painted laxtire " hy tho score may bo seen dtiaking leryir, wine, or spirits ; bin, when in. J bo f-o)e<rt hotels and rertauronts you also fitid "fasluonablc ladies drinking freely at, meals, you arc inclined to sir l ke your head sadlv over the future of ,-i nation xx-hose wives a.nd mothers imbiba liquois that ate m detrimental to Die production of licalDiy progeny. In Kensington district on Bundav last I saw two old women from a neighboring workhouse coming out of a public-house showing symptoms of having boe-n treating themselves to intosk’airte. A !adv on the bus Ixcside uk’ reinajkcd upon, tho sight, and said a friend of hem aiwavs made a. point of-giring a to p.xir-obl

woricbouso inmates, no that (boy migfrti haTo a Sunday treat. The mention of Sunday reminds me of tbo third subject I have named for oonsidoration—the religions outlook—end it may as "wtsll bo touched on now. Everywhere iho clergy arc complaining of tno growing indifference of tho people and their neglect of church attendance. This may be a good or a bod thing, according to one's ' tew point.. It is not necessarily a sign of any lessoning of vital religious sentiment, hut it is undoubtedly symptomatic of tho waning influence of the* clergy. To some extent it may bo a- result of a broadening process in the minds of tho people, leading tliem to discriminate between, saoondotalrtm il 1 !. uciigion. Outwardly, (he Scottish SaWnth remains pretty much as of oldg pat many of the people have caught tho wosk-end liabit, and take their religion; away from home, and in what used to bo called “Mr Gremlield’s Church.” There is no music in the Scottish parks on Sundays •; rio open bam, and very few ojicn slioikx. to tins England offers a marked contrast, iu London there are thousands of shops -, open every Sunday (despite Die Act of On.irk-R 11. that is so frequently oufoiyod in New Zealand). and you can, t>uy anything cam want, even a,’Socialist newspaper, though 1 observe that tho moling of suc |, literal mv, on Sundays 1 A “’’"p suppressed hi Wellington. Talk of the Continental Sunday ! The English Sunday has beaten it out of sight. There mo thousands of people at work every Stmc ay m London alone— -attendants in shops, railway drivers and guards, bus and tram employees, steamboat workers, not to mennu. the crowds of cooks and waiters in hotels and restaurants. On a recent Sim- , J visited Sou 11 lend on-Soa. a wateriu;--placo at the mouth of tlie Thames, and was astounded at witnessing the business activity of the place. Thousand* of visi-t-ors had iirrmul hy < r;iin and j-vtoanwrc* mostly people of the middle and miner middle class, and SouDiend was catering lor them and gathering in (heir nimble sixpences. A dozen nr more of hotels were open, scores of refrc.shm.mt, rooms were doing good Inisine:.; . tit,- fie of toys, post i-nds, etc., went on tin rrily. oinnibusno wme running exn.ir".-i-.ns i.< the country, yachts were taking trippers out to sea, dozens id umn were " touting" for eus-f-nmers, and all was life and gaiety. Tho U'tporatmn had provided a first-dans baud in Die gardens on (ho cliffs, with, at'*mi- a. l.lionaand dnek clmir;;, upon which n isuors niiplil. ivi'lmu on payment of *' penny lor three hoars," and liere there were at least 2.000 fashionably-dressed people enjoying secular music. Down on. the beach, a stone’s-throw distant. I cam« across two enthusiasts on a “Wesleyan Mission Van," who were singing a. hriim, thear audience consisting of three womo.il uh ii\ mu books and sevond youths. Such ia •• Met ric England " in (.(to l.w entieth ivulury' 1 ani iinund lo say that tliere was n„| i|,e rlighlcst approach to rough sport or disorder. Not a single ]>erso?i that 1 saw was in the least degree intoxicated. not even on (.he alearner, which had two bars in full swing during ds seven-hours' journey from Load.:.l Bridge and line],- p> town. !•. Liverpool, and Birmingham. a:, well a:, n Scot)and. Die people all si nick m . i '. ing sad and subdued-looking re, Sund-va, hut in London t.hey a.re jV-vons for fn.o, one day m Dm we.Jk, if they at.- desp, ately serious on Die oDjer six. The old sectarian r.mr-or is dying out. I (hmk, buf. (races of if linger, fa Glasgow Green and Hyde Park religions “ cranks # stHl labor trillions! vt o convert people to their views, hut (hey hardly . vrr arouso interest.. Iji iSeolhind, w itii her traditional perterxidinn ingeiiinin." sectarian lit thin mss is greatly in evidence. AJ,. Hi idgetoii ( Voss, lilasgmi. one Saturday night, a street orator uas, as ) I'tigered a few minutes, inveighing agamsi Homan (yDuillcism. A man in Ala- emu d■■-“ But Im nut a ('atholtc, mind von," lie -aid- • Lep(- annoying Die orator hv interjecting remarks to Die effeel Dial Dm speaker \. ab making a good living by this business-; and at last the preacher.’ in his dress link and coat, eonld stand it no longer. He made a rush at. Dm inter jeci.-r. wr< ;i(.le*l' with him. and tried lo plg.l, him ).» Dtr> out.side of (he crwvil. Tliere was a gre.-d, hubbub, and hail a dozen t'-ilieeme,, once appeared on Dm seen--; hm, slrangidy enongh, did iml make im White, the anthoril.ies p--rmit sm hj street preaching Inm religion must suffer. Coming In polifica) malters, I am pleased to drteern a growing iniclligcui- in,rest in questions of Dm day -a di,.jnn'.an-i mi Die part nl the people (n judge proposals on their mrerits, ,-jjvl not- Im' led l, v parly shibboleths. The workers are being polil leally educated, ami they max' sooney tl'illi tllnsl. nl us c.\p”i I. eiinvert. (hen- knowledge inl-o power, (lid age pensions and a, sit icier aliens exelusion |a.\v are among (-he measures they demand, The nmro thoughtful nuvmg thi-m also ivingnise Dio nr-crnsity Im- land law reform and a change m Dm. incidence of taxation, lire term or abolition of Dm Douse of Lords (hey look upon as an essential preliminary (-0 Die (wo hitter reforms. if the, eomliDon of (hi; masses is (o lie improved, (bey say. a slop must, he pul to the incursion chea)) alien worker... In London. Jews, (Inmans, are numerous. Scotland, whore twenty years ago I hern was hardly a single foreigner. Is being overrun by Poles and Kalians. The. funner are miner;: and laborers; the latter are ice-cream dealers and rest anrateur... As fart, as Hri-l-aio is deplet-ed hv emigration of the nie.k of her workers Dmsr foreigners troop into the country to depress Dm labor maria’), and lower (he standard of living. In addition l-o Dm exclusion ot aliens. Diem is ref)uired a law to exclude the pindnets of cheap alien labor. S.iino pi-ople are udvo eaDng Die bringing of Chinese io England. If Dus idea took concrete shape it, would suri-ly arouse the Hrilish pisqiln lo aetion. A. few r British marmlacturers. find it more convenient to shift their factories to 1 fuss’s, ('kina, or Japan, and send the products- of cheap labor in(o thin, English market. The Preferential Tariff alone earn put a rtnp to si mb taeDes. T have been gratified lo find a whkv- ‘ spread ijil.evest. iu Die Uinfi i(iie,s(.inn mani— i f> sled by people of all classes, and the* vast, rnajoril-y oi Dmw' with whom I havrv discussed the subject---including mk‘.i>ek.ants, niainitaj’iurers. fanners, and xvoekers—«i' warm supporter:- of Mr Joseph (’luirnlierliiin’s preposais. iVreonallv I w disjHised lo Diink that at lea.st' thirty years xvonhi he jvquireil to bring about a elli’.nge : liul men of wide t.ravel ami! knowledge ma-mre me Dial within lon years; tho British ]>eOph’ will beast on tariff nv form. My eiuef ibili- sli w jmn de.aliiqg with ojijifuients of Preiereiilial Trade, has Inrnn \jj convince my ini c-i loenl.ors that (Ini; colonies are not aeiual-ecl bv a deeply—svated and seiltsb desire to a ggrand j;-t> themselves at Dm expc-nsr of the British xxorking man. By a rel bye. I hope., the said working man will come lo see (hab(he colonies are desbon; of bremliting him., j and that their mo; ire forces are bermvo-,' l-mee and Imimrial paitiot i.-an. Drqipilv Ts can ahviixs proxy Ihai ibis I rue <ri' Zealand, which inis gianlirl ujKxn« r isl! (neferenee lo g..-od of British m. Lure. Kittle space is ieii in un‘U» of Die kk>crialist, movement. On cvt-iy )nmd fhere, are evidences of the sfiread of that- movement, which ir l-o many people a religion. It i.s a religion Dial., like others, wifi grow in proportion as efforts are made lo suppress it. Tlie Imrxlon County CourteK, the other day n-solveii (o “ eviel-" tho teachers from lour Socialist Sunday schools, and empowered their Education Commiltro 1) terminate any oilier Sunday tenancies under which Die Connell’s schools are “ used for taadirng political docl riim.’' T’he doetnne objm (o<l (o enrgti.rtu of such axioms as All the prrxlnd.x ot Die ec.rlli are Dio results of labor,” and “ Do «ho enjoys these without worldng ivih.s the, wortier of Ids broad.” H was in vuin Dint, Die. Pronmvjsivcß asserted Dint Dibs mis no more violent political doctrine (.Iran was preached in churches and cathedrals. ’lTwi Council applied (he e.ic'smre and eatairel Die “ Mnderato" resolution of suppression ; but it is significant that it- xvas hv a majority of only 66 votes to 40. Freni what I have learned, the hopes of (ho masses of Britain are centred in the '■Socialist and Labor movements. As a New Zealander who has seen hoxv the advance of Labor’s cause lias operated, I can only trust DiaD by pursuing moderate, tactics, and by unity of action, the. parties «£.v progress in Britain will soon luive a. ooniey nianclmg- ia ttfe .poiilicat’ vnarld, ST