The times., 1899-06-11


paradise a newspaper man. until re-
Gently reporter on the tie Aroha News,
Auckland. he stopped over night on his
way to England. He came direct from the
Britain of the South" the paradise OF
the workingman." where laborers sing at
their toll;
Eight hours OF work.
Right hours OF play.
Right hours OF sleep.
And eight bob day
This young man, after seven years of
experience in the islands of New Zealand
deliberately set sail with the intention OF
placing half the circumference of the globe
between himself and the land OF Social
| ism. He has determined to endure the
hardships of Fleet Street. in the heart of
city where individual ownership of prop
erty has built its monuments worth mil
lions.
He Is believer In Socialism as he found
1t in the Southern Pacific. yet he left a
country which boasts that 1t has no mil
lionaires. or even semi millionaires within
! its confines; where the state conducts all
classes OF enterprise, from railroads to
farms, and where laws are all made for the
workiugman. Ii was a strange paradox,
this young newspaper man en- route TO
London, who could discuss every feature
of his insular Utopia, from economic and
sociological standpoints, without finding
flaw worth mentioning. From his descrip
tion New Zealand is peculiar. Ii has never
known wild beast; man may sleep in
i the open air or in the timber without dan
ger of being molested. The only member
of the animal kingdom that ever narrowed
| the lowly settlers. kalf-century ago. was
a tiny black spider, with a red spot on its
back This. and, OF course. the cannibals.
Ii was. in truth, a land where every pros
| pect pleases and only man is vile But
now even the nature of man is changing.
1T was fitting soil on which to erect
a government of socialism" said he. THE
| first settlers were men = 'he bush. seek
| ing their fortunes. estimating their fellows
| by their opponent virtues, and the spirit
that Jack was as good as his master was
prevalent from the beginning.
| Ten years age the present premier, Sed-
| don. who made such a favorable hit at the
great assemblage Of governors, and gov
ernor generals at the jubilee OF the Queen,
was an ignorant man, miner. He was
active in labor organizations. and when
the unions were successful in carrying an
election he was elected premier.
"Step by step Socialism was introduced.
First, stringent labor laws were passed.
then property laws, and in decade a revo-
luton quietly took place.
Now. when the Conservatives are In
power they pass laws further perfecting
the government which once they opposed.
They passed the eight-hour law and the
'each-man vote a few years ago.
Every resident six months on the ISL
and over twenty-one years Of age. of eth
er sex, has the franchise. The govern
ment has many farms. By a recent act
it has the power to condemn land. pur-
chase 1t and subdivide it. The whole spirit
Of the laws is to equalize wealth Sliding
scales in taxation, reaching a point of vir-
tual appropriation by the state make it
impossible for wealth to accumulate in
one mans hands. There are. nevertheless
good investments to be found. They might
not be called good here. but you must un-
derstand people there are satisfied with a
living and the comforts OF life. Destitu-
tion is unknown.
There are many factories on the island.
but they do not yield big incomes to the
owners. Factory laws are strictly en-
forced by inspectors. Every building must
comply with the requirements OF the Law
in the space allotted to each workman and
in sanitary conveniences. A half-holidaN
is given workmen besides Sunday holi-
day. The sweating system IS avoided by
inspectors, who report the condition of the
working peoples homes. The usual price
paid for unskilled labor is eight bob, ol
81, day.
Severe penalties are inflicted on swind
! lers, class practically unknown. Bar!
are allowed only in hotels under high Ii
cense. II barkeepere permit a patron L
become drunk repeatedly his license is re-
voked at its expiration.
"If man becomes habitual tippler hi!
friends get out a writ OF prohibition. TIT
penalty for violating it insures its enforce
> ment. The police and government prose
cutors need only a complaint from a citi
zen against any violator of the law t
al h
= bottom, without cost to the complaining
l citizen Disorderly houses are prohibite'
i by law successfully. AS a result moralit.
> in one sense is slightly below what it is il
England. Moral reform movements aloni
every line are universally supported.
'One of the latest political reforms is tn
pensioning of old people. 1t will doubt
less prove successful.
THE population of the islands is SOC, 90
L Caucasians. The principal industries ar
agriculture and mining. The government
leases mines located by its citizens. TIL
l charters are withdrawn il a specified mum
ber of men are not employed. In this, a
in every other Industry. the laws are mad
i for the laborer. The country deserves it
e fame as the paradise Of the working mar
1.-TWO hundred thousand men are EN-
s pioyed in the gum fields. Kauri gum, simi
II lar in many respects to amber, is found /
d the original places Of deposit. 1t is th
n product OF kauri pines. as they are called
J. The gum dropping from the trees year al
d ter year forms layers many feet in thick
d ness. Mounds OF gum are found covered
with earth and vegetation. 1t sells at 81
d a hundredweight. but the clearest amber
colored gum often brings more Its cole
varies from amber to black. Fresh guI
has no commercial value. Kauri gum
: used in varnish.
"A cheap grade OF pipestems and mouth
e pieces is made from it, and sold for am
II Der. The beds often contain leaves an
trunks of trees Sometimes the wood an
/ leaves are burned to cinders. discolorin
the gum. Fires have been started by vo
d canic eruptions in ages past, and the
m doubtless destroyed vast forests. Earth
n quakes are OF such frequent occurrence I
attention is paid to them.
THE Maoris, aborigines OF the islam
/ have been given a reservation. calle
;s Kings Country, where they are Isolate
N White people are forbidden from buyin
y. or leasing any of their domain
do you intend to return to New Zea
"A land?" was asked.
"a "a NO: If l can get position on LondC
- paper l shall remain in England"
He sauntered to the desk and asked
be shown to his room.
e Are you an advocate of Socialism c
n the New Zealand plan?"
IL "I am believer in its practicability ar
in its ultimate supremacy. The nations
10 Europe will adopt it in time" The your
et man who had enjoyed the blessings of a
lie truism for several years, the best years
y his life said this earnestly. caressing II
10 threadbare lapel of his coat a moment
meditation. Then he courteously excuse
Il