The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-02
SOCIALISM IN AUSTRALASIA.

me reaction OF the United states on
Europe has often been described: the
reaction OF contemporary colonies on
the mother country is 100 recent 10 have
found q historian IL is very real, never
theless. Thus England has adopted from
New Zealand. her excellent county coun-
ellis and also her successful First Offen-
deTs Act: and many countries, including
the French Protect9rate Of Tunis, have
borrowed from South Australia the Tor
rens Land Transfer Act, which has SIM
pIi1ied and cteapened the conveyance OF
land II IS also apparently from New
Zealand that England has taken the
Workmen's Compensation Act. Now En-
gland has had a succession of statutes
on this subject. The first was passed IN
lSS@, the latest SO recently as last year
It provides that where workman has
been killed in the course OF his employ
ment, the employer shall pay his family
the sum equal % his earnings during the
three years preceding the accident. or
else 500. whichever is the larger. IF ne
is only disabled. the compensation is
a weekly payment while his incapacity
continues or half his average earnings
during the previous twelve months. As
In most OF these Sccialistic measures.
the voluntary element is allowed 10 re-
main. just as Old-World species some
times survive by the side of their moGi-
that any body Of workers is embraced
under any scheme OF COMPENSATION. ben
eft, or assurance that is not less favor
able 10 them than the statute. such en-
ployees may contract themselves out
of the operation Of the act. This IS an
advance on the act OF 1SS2 which did not
permit the contracting out. New Zeal
and being the legislative foyer Of these
colonies, the statute of 1890 has been
adopted en- bloc in Western Australia
When pressed 10 adopt It in New South
Wales the Premier objected or the
ground that a similar act had given rise
10 an enormous amount of litigation In
England. No such effect has followed
il New Zealand. Nor is il justly omen
20 the pointed criticism Of Mr.. Asquith
on the English act. that it is so honey
combeG with exceptions and contradic-
tons that it has become the despair
and the laughing-stOck of the judges
\ few years later similar
proposal was made before the
then shrank from, a young Anglo-Celtic
community in the South Seas has boldly
undertaken In 1863 the New Zealand
Government established R department of
life insurance. 1t has been fairly sue
cessful, and holds about One-haif Of al
the assurances effected in the colony.
1t has no monopoly. but step by step
it is moving in that way. 1t also eXer-
cises no compulsion, and Yet the re-
quirement that all civil servants shall
insure their lives in the Government Of
hce is a step in that direction Now the
government proposes TO set up de-
partment Of fire insurance. The colony
is mapped out into districts. Each dis
trict by a pcll of the rate-payers. must
adopt the statute establishing the de-
partmant before it can there be applied.
The manager then draws up a fire-insUr-
ance roll. All buildings not shown 10 be
adequately insured in other Offices are
assumed 10 be insured by the govern
ment Office for what the manager may
deem their insurable value, with or with
out the consent of their owners. When
a building has been insured elsewhere,
it is deemed 10 be insured in the govern
ment office as soon as the current policy
has expired, which il must DO within
twelve months. The premiums arc to
be collected by the local authorities like
local rates Such is q bare outline Of q
drastic measure that almost takes ones
breath away by its calm aueacity. It
proved too much fer the digestion of a
semi-SOcialist Legislature. which dill not
even attempt 10 masticate it. But we
shall hear of it again II is the policy
of the New Zealand government to wear
out opposition by persistent pressure. AL
most every notable act on the statute
book has been repeatedly rejected; and
this particular bill, or ore closely re-
sembling it, has been previously intro
duced.
It is another example Of the influence
of colony on its metropolis that. soon
after the New Zealand government an
nounced It's intention OF buving n ma
tional coGl Minis Sir Edmond Gray, in
the House Of Commons. should have
asked the English Ministry TO purchase
che of the Welsh coal fields. About the
same time the Prussian government got
a coal mine near KcenissberC for the
supply OF the state railways. The New
Zealand purchase has been completed.
4 mine IN the south island was bought
for e150go. and viii be worked by the
The Premier alleges that
q ring of owners and merchants main
taiRs The price Of coal % per cent. above
its due rate. Depots are to be set up in
each Of the four centers. and after the
government railways are supplied, the
surplus viii be sold az low rates TO pri-
vate consumers
The Premier states that tho govern
nert viii purchase steamers for the dis
irritation of ,he coal only in tie last re-
sort But he thinks that steamers ought
to be bought or built BY the government
The government can raise the money for
building steams lips more cheaplv than
n shipping company. He does not add
but he evidently believes. that the gov
eminent can run the steamers 1T least
1s economically 4 beginning IS TO be
made in New Zealand which has been ex-
porting l1rge quantities Of frozen meat
and farm produce for the support Of the
army. The undoubted patriotism Of the
colonies IS beautifully blended with
keen sense Of their own interests. It
Is also proposed 10 establish cool stores
n Cape Town and London. and the gov
eminent fooks forward 10 assuming com
aIete control Of the frozen meat in iustry
M both South Africa and England
Tt has als0 long been planning 70 take
5vcr the entire liquor trade n the colony.
as beginning. It has been authorized by
he Legisiat.re u set In st4fe hotels
n tourist districts. While the Sew Zeal
me government IS making This new de-
larture. the government II South AUS
ralia s abandoning its depot .n London
or the sale Of Australi2n wines. It nas
proved q total failure. ard hes incurred
4 loss 81 $500. TIC government ~
Sew South Wales in order 10 put down
he Sweating shat prevails in the cloth
nc industry. has just been prevailed up--
ia 10 set fn = state tailCrv- and This m
he very time when the problem IS te-
ug solved in rational manner. b. f
means or an agreement between en- {
,loyers ard employed that vii ,Heefu- /
llly suppress sweating QIite naturally. s
he government is asked 70 establish 1
state boot factory. IN nearly al these +
-oionies state socialism IS advaEciag - &
caps and bounds
f~E