The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, July 9, 1891. NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 631, 9 July 1891, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Thursday, July 9, 1891. NEW SOUTH WALES ELECTIONS.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’s* at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

The result of the general elections in N.S.W, is of considerable importance to-the colonies. The question of Freetrade versus Protection has resulted in a clear victory for the Protection cause, which will mean that within a few months a customs barrier is likely to be erected against all produce from New Zealand, as upon goods from other places. One of the worst features in the adoption of a policy of Protection is that too often the encouragements that ought to go to the workers simply dribble into the pockets of the manufacturers. While the product of labor is protected there is no protection for labor itself, and it is a remarkable thing that whenever the laborers of New South Wales seek to improve their position it is from Protective Victoria that the labor which swamps the market is quickly drawn. This question is among the many problems that Labor representatives have to give their most careful attention. If they support Freetrade pure and simple they become advocates for placing the colonial laborer in competition with all the sweaters of the Continent, and they bolster up firms that make a fat thing by acting as middlemen for the importation of the manufactures of the great army of slowly-murdered workers of the old world. If, on the other hand, they declare for Protection they may be simply the tools of grasping manufacturers who have no sympathy with the workers. Where the latter are strong enough to demand a fair proportion of the profits, there is nothing to fear, but they have not always this strength, and often the unions have to go down in the struggle. The Labor representatives returned to the Sydney Legislature should deem it one of their first duties in the transition stage between Freetrade and Protection—assuming the latter to be victorious—to see that Protection will mean something very different to a mere hedging round of the interests of manufacturers at the expense of the people. If the workers are not to be allowed to reap a fair advantage then any change in the fiscal policy may be nothing short of a curse to the country. The New South Wales Parliament assembles

next Tuesday, and the conduct of the new element will be watched with keen interest. The Labor party numbers 37, the Ministerialists 49, the Opposition 50, and five rank as Independent — which latter term generally means that the candidates will sell themselves to the highest bidder. During the elections the Labor party worked with a generalship that gave it a great weapon to fight against all that wealth and influence could bring on the other side. Out of the candidates available only sufficient were selected to fill each seat, and thus while other parties were divided among themselves the Labor party was enabled to concentrate its forces, with the result that some great surprises were sprung upon the other parties when the results were made known. It now remains to be seen how the party will comport itself in dealing with affairs of State. If the members act with the same moderation as has characterised the Labor representatives in New Zealand, then the change will be a blessed one for New South Wales, where the Parliaments of the past have become a byword throughout the land.