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The New Zealand * Fabian Society.
I.
That this Society he called "The New Zealand Fabian Society," and be affiliated to the English Society—so willed—and also regarded as in communion with every Socialistic Society in Australasia.
II.
That it shall consist of Socialists—that is, of those who aim at the re-organisation of Society by the emancipation of land, all means of production, and industrial capital from individual and class ownership, and the vesting of them in the Community for the general benefit of the whole people.
III.
That the Society shall work for the transfer to the Community of the administration of such industrial capital as can be managed socially.
IV.
That, for the attainment of these ends, the Society will use all legitimate means. It will help to promote them especially by the general spread of knowledge as to the relations of the individual to Society—in its economic, ethical, and political aspects.
V.
That the members shall use every opportunity of forming Local Branch Societies.
VI.
That, whilst all members are expected to subscribe to the Funds of the Society, the amount of subscription shall be voluntary, and only known to the Executive Committee.
VII.
| 1. | Meetings for the discussion of questions connected with Socialism. |
| 2. | The further investigation of economic and ethical problems, and the collection of facts contributing to their elucidation. |
| 3. | The issue of publications containing information on Social questions. |
| 4. | The promotion of Socialist Lectures and Debates. |
| 5. | The representation of the Society at Public Confrences and Debates; Social questions. |
| 6. | The organization of Socialists with a view to political action. |
O'Bryen Hoake,
Hon. Sec. 55, Salisbury St. E., Christchurch
The Truth about Socialism.
What is Socialism? What do the Socialists want?
Socialism is simply a higher state of civilisation. It is system and peace in industry, commerce, and trade, instead of chaos, anarchy, and continuous industrial and commercial war as exists at present. The Socialists want to nationalise the land and all the instruments of production, distribution, and exchange.
What does that mean?
Why, it means that the land and all the mills, farms, shops, factories, canals, mines, and electric-lighting works shall belong; to the people of New Zealand. It means that just as our railways, post-office, educational institutions, telegraph and telephone systems belong to the people and are worked by the State for the benefit of the whole community, so the industry of the people shall be organised and applied for the benefit of the people. There is nothing very dreadful in this. It simply means that New Zealanders will decide to work and produce wealth for themselves, and not for irresponsible sets of individuals living at the other end of the world. This will come about without bloodshed, robbery, confiscation, or any other immoral means.
We shall rob no one. We shall only change the organic form of society, so that economic power will not be vested in the hands of any one class to enable them to legally appropriate what the rest produce. Everyone will have to live by work, and there will be work and comfort for all. There will be no shelter for the loafer. "Unless a man work neither shall he eat."
If you want to know more about it, read "Merrie England," "The Boot of the Matter," the "Clarion" newspaper, and other Socialistic works. It lies with the people of New Zealand to say whether they will have a newer, brighter, happier, and pleasanter state of society, or go on suffering under our present rotten old system. But they must read, think, and act.