Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-03-05

and employed than at the present mo-
ment." Surely the premier, addressing
the peoples representatives, would
know as we'll what was the condition
of the citizens as Mr.. j. Grattan Grey,
then in Europe. So far as my power
of observation goes, class bitterness
is almost unknown in New Zealand,
and most kindly feelings exist between
employer and employed. There are no
beggars in the colony, and poverty Of
the kind common in the big cities of
Europe and America is almost I'M
known. Nowhere in the world can so
many well clad, rosy faced people be
seen together as in a New Zealand
crowd. If they are dissatisfied and
fretting against their working condi-
tions, they must have the art Of con-
cealment in high degree.
Fourth.-That "the farmers are de-
manding repeal of the laws from which
they are suffering" is probable, if allu-
sion to the laws of nature is meant.
They suffer from thunderstorms, cater
pillars, sparrows, etc, as farmers do
elsewhere, and they are about as cas-
lily satisfied as farmers elsewhere, but
If by claws" is meant the legislation
of late years the statement is contrary
to fact. No government ever did so
much for farmers as that of New Zea-
land. The crown has bought up large
private estates and cut them up into
farms for the farmers sons. 1t has
borrowed millions in Europe at low in
tereSt to lend to farmers in order to
clear off mortgages at heavy interest.
The crown lands have been thrown
open for selection among those who
could only pay as rent the interest on
the capital value and not pay down the
capital ITSELF any money in hand being
thus available for stock, fencing, etc.
Village settlements, homestead settle
ments, cooperative roads and railway
works all have helped struggling set
tiers. The agricultural department has
been instituted has examined blights,
distributed seeds and roots, graded but
ter and cheese for export, arranged
markets abroad and otherwise protect
ed farming interests. Large sums
which would have helped swell the
revenue have been remitted by the gov
ernment railways, fares lowered,
freights lowered freights free in some
cases, such as lime for manuring lanO
and considerable local concessions
made. cannot understand under
what laws the farmers suffer. Not
under the ordinary labor laws which
generally affect only manufactures,
shops, offices, etc. Can it be an allu-
sion to compulsory arbitration? In the
last session of parliament member aft
er member representing country dis
tricts spoke against an amendment to
the arbitration bill, in which it was
proposed to exempt the agricultural
and pastoral occupations from its op-
erations. "Why," they Indignantly
asked, "why should the benefits be-
slowed on the manufacturing indus
tries by compulsory arbitration be de-
MED to settlers in the country dis
tricts?" Almost unanimously they
passed the new stringent and compul-
sorry clauses of that arbitration bill
No stronger answer could be made by
the farmers than was made by them
on that occasion, and If such law
causes them suffering their heroic self
martyrdom is beyond praise.
| l thank you, sir, beforehand for the
opportunity of being allowed to pre-
sent an accurate view of the state of
this colony, as l see it. If we have had
the misfortune to lose Mr.. j. Grattan
Grey, we must comfort ourselves by
the thought that our loss is Ireland's
gain. Nevertheless the colony still
floats.