The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-08
but their industrial position does not
seem to need interference.
The Eight-Hour Day.

seem to need interference.
The Eight-Hour Day.
Does eight, hours increase drunken
ness?"
1T would certainly be Islander on
our working classes If any one accused |
them Of drunkenness. There Is more
in Glasgow or In Moscow in
a night than in New Zealand In year.
To say that an eight-hour day leads to
and loafng is rubbish. The
overtired man who has worked too long !,
is he who Graves a stimulant,"
after eight hours of active and often
strenuous labor leisure is not loaflng, and
the accusation sometimes comes with q
very bad grace from people who are
either idlers themselves or engaged In
predatory industry.
1.-The vices of the colonist are not
drunkenness, but gambling and devotion
to low ideals. the worship of the race
horse and of the foot ball.
1T is not probable that any shorter
working day than that of eight hours
will obtain for several years. but hope
that as machinery takes the place of
sinew. and when the machine is owned
by the man who works it, plain living
and high thinking may help to very
few hours n day having to be necessarily
worked by any one. Excrtion on loved
and fancied line of direction Is, of course,
under different conditions and time so
| spent will never be measured"
Short Hours and Old Age Pen
sions.
Does not the eght-hour day cncour-
'ago extravaganza"
"As to extravaganza, the shorter work.
ing dat has had If anything n beneficial
effect in the direction of economy, If the
savings banks statistics be accepted ms
a test. Personally, ! hate hearing thrift |
preached to persons Of low incomes. Be-
low certain wage line every penny
saved is a sin against the workers fam
lily, depriving them of some necessity of
life. 1t is enough OF thrift for such a
one to be insured or In friendly So
ciety to guard against sickness or acct
dent or death. The working father or |
mother who has brought up a family |
has, ut the cost of a thousand sef-de-
malls and dcprivatons, performed most |
duty to the State and should |
be provided for in his or her old age by |
the State whose future has been thus |
even IL 1t means heavy tax
alton of those who have had better OPP
portunties of acquiring money or prop |
fostering large families. In New zea-
land, through our old age pensions.
we partly meet our moral and national |
liabilities, but much moro will yet have |
to be done by the English speaking peo-
pies II they wish to make their nations
in the future anything more than mix
lures Of mongrel aliens.
Employment Bureau for Uncle
Sam.
Concerning your question rs to the
employment branch of the New Zealand
labor department, and whether such ali
office would succeed In America, ! con-
slider 1t has been a success here and sec
no reason why 1t should not be useful
in the States. Since 1891 we have assist
ed 32,SS2 men. and these had TOTO de-
pendants, so that 1o3,1b2 persons have
been benefited This does not include
the thousands, who take advantage of
our information offices all over the coun-
try-the figures given above are of those |
who received actual assistance in rail-
way and steamer fares. etc, in order 10 |
bring the work and the worker togeth-
et.
"Our clients receive no charity or none
tary assistance; we only find hard work
for them. The expenses of transit have
to be refunded, and, contrary to the be-
lief of the pcssimist, they are refunded
in the large majority OF cases. No bet
test test of the value OF the work so done
can be given than by the way the oper-
atiyes and laboring classes stand by us;
! II Is n dangerous experiment in New
Zealand to abuse Its labor department
in public"
Chances for Young Men.
What does your government offer to
immigrants. and what nrc the chances for
young men TO make fortunes In New Xea-
land?"
THE government offers nd special In
ducements TO immigrants and IT. has not
done SO for many years, Last year we
had surplus of 1900 arrivals oyer our
departures, but of these 10000 were AUS
tralans, driven out by the drought In
their own country, Most of the people
who come here, excepting tho tourists,
land and ii Is full Of attractions. 1t
offers a good field for steady, honest
living. Young men have many oppor-
tunities to secure comfortable incomes
and at the end of life financial indepand-
! ence, AS TO the probabilities OF their
becoming millionaIres, ! am glad to say
they are nil
New Zealand Prosperous.
! What Is the condition of New Yea
4 land2"
THE country has been for years pro-
crossing rapidly and In spite Of croakers
| against labor as king we flourish more