The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1909. A MISTAKEN POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2496, 8 May 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MAY 8,1909. A MISTAKEN POLICY.

Referring to the results of the recent election in Wellington city the “Dominion” says: A feature of special interest is the position occupied by the Labor .candidate, the Hon. J. Rigg. The small number of votes recorded in Mr Rigg’s favor is almost grotesque regarded iu .the light of the voting strength of Labor, and the only coelusion to be drawn, in "iew of Mr Rigg’s undoubted standing in trade-s union circles, is that Labor has betrayed its nominee. Mr Rigg’s chances of success were doubtful, and . Labor, instead of clinging to its principles and voting for the man who has fought the battle of trades unionism, deserted them and him. Labor has made itself a laughingstock arid gained nothing in return. In the local contest the Laborites appear to have been likewise ill-advised in their policy, for, having selected two excellent representatives, instead of devoting their sole efforts to getting them elected they, presumably, came to an understanding with the Lysnar—sometimes called “Progressive” League. We say “presumably,” for it is difficult to obtain absolute proof of such arrangements, but the fact that the Labor’men were included in-the League’s ticket, is prima facie evidence of its existence. However, this alliance only provided another instance of the ingratitude of humanity, for whilst the Unionists kept to their compact faithfully and helped to put the straight-out Lvsnarites at the top end of the poll, their newly found allies ignored them at the business end of the proposition, and the voting showed that the Labor representatives had obviously only secured the hare support of their own unions.

A cablegram from Sydney emphasises another phase of the mistaken methods of the workers, for a New South Wales Judge,* Mr Pring, in sentencing two persons for rioting at Broken Hill, said: —

“The men at Broken Hill have been misled''by Tom Mann, who, they would some day find out, was their worst enemy, and lived on keeping up strife.” His Honor remarked: “The sooner you wake up to the fact that this-agitator liVes. upon your hard earnings, and is your enemy, the better for you.”

\ There is no doubt in the minds' of reasonable men that the remarks of Judge Pring were fully justified. These Socialistic agitators are a curse both to true Socialism and also to Unionism itself, and Tom Mann is a striking example of the class. Ho is a very able man, with a fine gift of oratory, and he has chosen to devote this to a constant agitation amongst the working classes. His methods tend to bring about lawlessness, and labor has never vet and never will secure any marked advantage from disregard of the common safeguards of law gvat order. In the case of this Dominion the workers have secured more legislative victories than in any other country, until there is not much more that can be done foi them in the way of special legislation Future advantages to be obtained by them will come mainly in the way of general legislation by the passing «.f such measures ,as a National Annuity Bill, which, though applicable to every person in the community, will chiefly benefit the working classes. The violent methods advocated by ‘the. professional agitators who. declare that everyone’s hand is against labor, therefore it cannot obtain its needs except by methods which defy the laws, is entirely wrong. In New Zealand the number of men and women who work with their hands is considerably in the majority, and if properly organised they could obtain what legislation they'desired. Therefore it is obviously to the interest of the Unionists, instead,-of making inflammatory speeches, to set to work to educate those within their own ranks. Once the workers are . really united they can easily control the legislative situation. And if they are guided by wise counsel no harm could come of such a state of affairs for, recognising an identity of interests as between the employer and employed, they would take no step that would imperil a national policy. Unfortunately, as already shown, those responsible for the conduct of Labor unions seem destined to carry out their work in the manner least likely to achieve success.