People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-08-10

Inc PuOIlc WOrKS OF the colony are
now conducted on the cooperative
principle. When a railway or high
way of any kiud is to be constructed a
government engineer makes survey
and estimate of the cost. Upon the
basis of this estimate the work is given
IN small sections to gangs Of men who
each receive an equal proportion of
the money earned. There is no call
ing for public tenders, thus dispens-
ing with the contractor altogether,
whose profits, if any, are divided
among the men. The government
supplies tools and necessary material,
II the men are unable to do SO, charg-
ing first cost only for whatever is sup
Piled in this way. The work is con-
Quoted under the nominal direction of
the government engineer, whose duty
II IS to give measurements and levels,
and generally to see that the work is
properly done. The men work very
hard and earn good wages. By this
means they are enabled to pocket the
profits that would go to the contractor
under the old system and the govern
ment gets the work done at no greater
cost than formerly. One peculiar
feature of this method is that the
young, robust, and middle-aged men
worked together, while the weaker
and less vigorous are formed into
gangs by themselves. The younger
and stronger men object to their older
and necessarily weaker brothers be-
cause they are no longer able to per-
form their full share of the work.
The old men are, however, perfectly
content to have the opportunity to
earn livelihood in this way and they
DO so very comfortably. The cooper
ative system has given great satisfac.
ton and has to large extent solved
the problem of the unemployed in this
colony.
Another excellent system which
works in conjunction with the CO.
operative principle is the labor bu-
reau.' There are several of these
bureaus in charge of government
agents throughout the colony, where
employers of labor can send orders
for men. If man is out of employ.
ment hs makes application to the
agent in charge of the labor bureau
in his district, who sends him to some
suitable occupation, paying for his
transportation if necessary, and hay.
ing it refunded from the first money
the man earns. In this way the labor
market is always open, and informa-
ton is obtainable free of charge to
employer and employee.
There are many other institutions
of character similar to those men.
toned, all of which are calculated to
relieve distress.
Notwithstanding the decidedly pa
ternal and in many respects social
istic tendency of legislation in New
Zealand, some of which is naturally
repugnant to those who, like myself
have not been accustomed to state
socialism, yet the fact remains that
it all appears to blend harmoniously
with the sentiments and requirements
of the people. This is the best evil
dence that can be adducei upon a
closer acquaintance with It's practical
working here in New Zealand that It
is not the 'bOgy' it is generally be.
lieved to be-"
Now here is practical test of the
systems and principles proposed by
the Populists We ask in the name OF
reason why the Populists should be
termed "cranks" for advocating the
adoption of systems which even the
enemies of those systems, upon in
vestigation, are compelled to acknowl-
edge success.
MIR. j. I. Farrell of New South
Wales in recent letter to the st.
Louis Courier, commenting on the mar.
velous escape of the colony of New Zea.
land from the general depression saws:
Under the rule of the new political
element which came into action there
at the last general election, the pros
perity of the colony has been amazing.
To-day it is incomparably the best
colony of the group for a majority
Of wage-earners, and its advantage
increases The latest returns show q
great increase of imports, a heavy
surplus of current revenue over cur
rent expenses, made up of advance:
in the returns from every department
Of public service, great expansion o.
national wealth as shown by large de.
posts IN the So rings and other banks
and an almost total disappearance o
the local unemployed.
Mr.. Henry Matthews, lale HON,
secretary of England, says of New
Zealand; Altogether it seems to me
a most desirable place 10 go to. They
have the labor difficulty there, O,
course, as elsewhere. There seem.
to be so much scope for individual,