The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9, 1907. “AN UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANT.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2206, 9 October 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9, 1907. “AN UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANT.”

If there were any doubts eoncern'img the strength of “the silken bonds’’ that bind us still to the Mother Country, they would surely be dispelled by the burst of indignation that has been manifested throughout the Dominion at the action of Mr. Keir Bardie in making certain utterances in India that are looked upon as prejudicial to the Empire. That he should in consequenco be branded as “an undesirable immigrant” by New Zealanders is scarcely 'likely to cause serious uneasiness to the subject of this wrath. As a matter of foot, the member for Merthyr Tydvil is one of those uncompromising individuals to whom the laws of expediency can never appeal. A Scotchman by birth, be spent his early life in a bitter school. Having had no regular education in his boyhood, ho was until his 2Jith year a working collier. He then drifted in.to journalism as a contributor to Labor journals, and finally entered the House of Commons as one of the first of the distinctly Labor representatives in the British Parliament. His first entrance to the sacred precincts came as a dreadful shock to the older hands, • for in place of the “be'lltcpper” and black suit of the conventional English gentleman, ho insisted upon wearing a shooting cap •and..an aggressive-looking red .tie. These; coupled with unwonted vigor of speech, great frankness, and a general disregard for Parliamentary traditions, made him an undesirable to other members of tho House of Commons, as bo appears to be justnow to a large number of Britishers in all parts of the world. The new member, however, stood Ids ground, and fought for tho cause of Labor •in a way that eventually earned the respect of the Hpuso and of the country. Whatever Keir Ilurdie’s faults, lie has undoubtedly stood true to tho class from which ho sprung, ■ and at the ago of 50 years he is at tho present time the acknowledged leader of tho Labor party in tho House of Commons. He lias done splendid work during his Barliamentary career in attempting to improve the conditions of tho British working mini, and it is exceedingly regrettable that lie should bavo alienated the respect in which he has been held during recent years by his exceedingly indiscreet utterances wkilo iu India. No one who is familiar with I the conditions ruling in India can fail to be appalled at tlio"vast amount of misery existent there, and often the most optimistic are prone to despair of the ultimate outcome. With such results apparent it is not difficult to attack British administration, but no 6iie yet has been able to suggest a praoticablo method whereby the improvement of tho conditions can be accelerated. The ourse of the caste system is over tho couutry with the traditions of centuries behind it binding the Eiltdves body and soul, and warping their mental and spiritual development Jn a way that is scarcely understandable to outsiders. The herculean task of raising these .semi-barbarians to tho status of a civilised community has

been imposed upon Britain, and, do- I spito the deplorable st'ato of affairs . still existent, tho greatest coloniser ; known to history is slowly but surely making headway with her gigantic task. From tho oabled reports of his speech, there seems to bo eomo doubt as to what Koir HJardio really did say, but if ho seriously urged the granting of political independence to the people of India ho displayed an ignorance upon tho subjoot that can soarcely bo oxcuscd. At tho Same time, judging from tho statement of tho Mayor of Parnell that tho member for Merthyr Tydvil should bo prohibited from landing in Now Zealand, there is a grave danger that we shall earn a reputation for an intolerance quite as inexcusable as tho indiscretions of our intended visitor. It is evident from what ha 3 already appeared that exaggerated accounts of Mr. Hardio s speeches were published in both Indian and’Homo-journals. When tho truth is arrived at, if it is found that the Labor leader was guilty of making inflammatory speeches in a country that was already a hot*bod of sedition, his action becomes something moro than indiscretion; it is inexcusable recklessness and rank disloyalty. Under such circumstances it would be a very proper step for public officials in the Dominion to refrain from publicly welcoming him to any portion of this country; but to talk of preventing his entrance to our shores is almost tantamount o an admission that wo are s;o doubtful of our own loyalty that we fear to put it to such a test as the presence ; of ' a disloyal M.P. would impose.