The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-09-17
WHAT A HONOLULU MAN SAW
IN PARKWAY new ZEALAND
A Place Where PaternaIism Has Run Mad and
Where the Freedom Of the Subject Has
Nearly Vanished.
{, AYEw ZEALAND is the greatest

New ZEALAND is the greatest
IN example of paternal govern
~ ment on EARTH" said w. w.
Wright yesterday. Mr.. Wright has
just returned from a visit to his for
mer home in Auckland. Twenty-one
years ago he came to this country from
the south. and since that time has
, never been out of the Islands. Re
Gently he went to his former home to
bring back to Honolulu his wife and
children, who had been on a long visit,
and during the eighteen days spent in
Auckland and the surrounding country
saw much Of the development which
has taken place in the generation since
he first knew the colony. Continuing
his remarks about conditions he said
The laws governing the laborer and
the employer are of such character
that 1t Is almost impossible for a man
to carry on business. There is a Board
of Cancellation, Board of Arbitration
and a Board of Equalization. When
they get to work there seems to be
nothing that the employer has to say
about the men in his own shop. 1t
seems to me that the government in
terferes entirely too much with the
business of the citizen. For instance
the tendency Is to elevate the wages
of the laborer and reduce those Of the
mechanic. For instance the mechanic,
say blacksmith is paid ten shillings
six pence. This is about $2.75 a day.
But when the Board of Equalization
gets through with shop the man who
is not capable of doing more than
swing large hammer and who has
no responsibility for the work, who has
not had TO spend any time in the learn
ing of his trade, finds that he can earn
eight shillings and six pence, or about
fifty cents IA day less than the skilled
mechanic.
This obtains in all lines. For in
stance there is now a law being agitated
and having the support of the labor
unions. which will prevent any one I'M
der eighteen years of age from driving
bakers cart. This is for the purpose
of keeping up the wages of the drivers.
As 1t is now when the driver is a small
boy, which class of labor is used by the
newer bakeries, where the trade is not
as large as that of the old established
i''uS''' anu lllf WI nol So lidIu, lie is
paid a pound week. When the old
established house pays it's man who
drives, he gets two pounds or something
like $1,000 a week. The men want to
have an established price for the work
and so will try and do it by making it
impossible for the boys to work on the
wagons.
Another law which has a bad effect
upon the people who try to do any bust
ness Is that which makes the employer
responsible for his men. For instance
l visited an old friend who is a boiler
maker He was working with few
boys as helpers. I asked him why he
did not have some men in the shop and
he said that he could not afford it, as
If one of his men should meet with an
accident and should be disabled for the
cause, he would have to keep
on paying him his wages, and in case
he should be killed In the performance
of any duty in the shop or on outside
work, he would have to pay to the
heirs the sum of E400. which was too
great a risk. He even could not have
a tree cut down, which is in his yard
doing the work met with any injury the
same payments must be made. There
is an effort being made to have this
done away with, but it stands now.
THE most peculiar law which was
brought forward was one which pro
posed to settle the matter Of the wages
Of the farm laborers. But that time
g. -