Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-05-03
Land of Eight-HOur Workday.

Mr.. Frank G.. Carpenter Is contribut-
ing to the press series of long articles
on economic conditions in New Zeal
and, that appear to convey very COM
prehensive and fair ideas of conditions
prevailing there, and their reasons,
say Pennsylvania Grit. New Zealand is
the land of the eight-hour work-day,
weekly half-holday. and municipal or
state ownership of railroads, tee
graphs, telephones, savings banks life
insurance companies, and other COM
prehenslve business enterprises Mr..
Carpenter finds. contrary to common
belief here. that the eight-hour day is
not legal enactment except as to
state employees. women and children.
1t is the result of agreements made be-
tween trades unions and employers,
enforced by the power of the state.
But the weekly half-holiday is pre-
scribed by statute In most cases it
falls on Saturday though not in all.
the time being matter of arrangement
between unions and employees in the
several occupations. Frequently it re-
solves itself into a whole holiday, ar
rangements being made to work suf-
fcient hours in five days to leave none
for the sixth. While the eight-hour
day, as above, is the general rule,
there are exceptions, farm laborers
constituting the most important, with
certain other branches Of occupation
whose operations cannot be suspended
without defeating some of the very
ends for which short hours and holt
days exist-to extend to the masses
opportunities for self-government and
rational diversion According to the
Hon. Edward Tregear, secretary for
labor Of New Zealand, all these things
came about through strike that
failed. More than seven years ago the
men who handled freight on the
wharves had a union, very strong
financially. AS funds, collected by as
sessment, grew, the union became
chary of admitting new members un-
less they contributed financially in
sum sufficient to make their interest in
the fund approximate that Of older
members. AS result, the growth Of
the shipping trade outstripped that of
the union, and strike followed, ship
pers demanding that the union furnish
men as needed, or permit employment
of non-unionsts, which request the
union denied. Trade threatened to be-
come paralyzed, when the people at
large realized the absurdity of that
particular position of that particular
union. ard men of all sorts of occu-
nations took hands at becoming volun-
teer 'longshoremen, and broke the
strike. This, according to Mr.. Tregear.
set the community to thinking, and
they soon concluded that If they elect
ed enough workingmen to parliament
they could so fix things that che coun-
try at large would be assured the bene-
fits accruing from adoption of union
principles, without liability to suffer
losses through short-sighted or selfish
actions of particular unions. They
soon got the balance Of power in par
Lament, established the principle OF
state ownership, and erected boards OF
Cancellation, that finally determine the
issues involved whenever unions Tor
employes) and employers fall to agree.
Strikes now are unknown, and the New
Zealander Is contented mortal. AS
to wages, Mr.. Tregear gave the follow
ing official statistics Farm hands
with board get from $12 to $40 per
month, and without board from 81 to
s1.75 per day. Shepherds receive from
$3.50 to $3.50 PEI year, and shearers