Chasing the Wind - Vol 1

In London, Wil’s efforts to advance the march of Socialism were not limited to expressing his views in print. He gave his time, energy and money to creating a forum where Socialist ideas and comradeship could flourish. From the capital, in late 1899, Kraig founded a radical society and lecture forum, the Pollokshaws Progressive Union. He twice claimed that this had been his long-held desire. He galvanised his Socialist contacts into using it as a means of promoting their ideas through regular meetings to discuss and debate philosophy, science, literature, contemporary social problems, politics and religion. The society met at least 22 times in 1900 and had at least 29 members on its books during this year.

In 1900, at age 25, Wil decided to leave the United Kingdom and to seek a new life in the Antipodes. A new, grander vision had captured Wil’s imagination. He resolved, and encouraged others, to emigrate to New Zealand as one of the 200 young Clarionettes in a venture organised through The Clarion. Before boarding the Rakaia for the journey to New Zealand, Kraig briefly returned to Pollokshaws, presumably to visit friends and family. A farewell function was held for Wil, attended by ideological kindred who shared Wil’s political, social and philosophical convictions, as well as those with whom Will had locked horns in the columns of his local newspaper. Andrew McCallum, Editor of The Pollokshaws News, summarised the evening thus:

Wonderful things do happen in this queer old town. After the great battle which was fought (in print) between Mr Frank Peard and Mr Wil Kraig, and the prophesies of mutual destruction when they met face to face on the platform, and in presence of an impartial audience, who would have thought that when these gladiators did at last meet it would have been (metaphorical) to fall on each other’s neck, and swear that they would be friends for ever and ever, world without end. Yet so it was. Friends true and staunch, and all the friendlier because each will retain his own opinions and respect the opinions of the other.

This magnificent result was brought about by the farewell banquet which was held in Pollokshaws last Friday evening. Mr Kraig is going abroad, and his friends arranged a feast – not only of the good things of the earth, but of wit and humour and good fellowship – in his honour. Mr Peard was invited to join in the compliment, and being nothing if not magnanimous, he gladly came to swell the praises of a foeman who he had found so worthy of his steel. In his speech Mr Peard predicted a great future for Mr Kraig, no less than a seat in the New Zealand House of Commons, and then he pictured himself, having also emigrated and risen to a position of power and influence, seated on the opposite side from his friend, debating the great questions which affect the welfare of the people in that part of Her Majesty’s dominions.

Though heady and overblown, Mr Peard’s sentiment may have matched Kraig the idealist’s dreams and aspirations for this new chapter in his life. Unknown to him, he would never make a return journey and never see his parents, siblings or his associates again. Having roused his Socialist beliefs by publishing them in the press and socialising them in gatherings, beyond Pollokshaws and beyond his youth, Kraig carried his Socialist worldview to the ends of the earth and for the term of his life.

Wil enjoyed the camaraderie with his fellow Socialists, engaging in and fostering the shipboard entertainments. He posted home a series of delightful lyrical accounts of the voyage, which were published in The Pollokshaws News. The journey included eight days of gales beyond the Cape of Good Hope. During this time the steering gear failed requiring the passengers to be kept below decks for nineteen hours but Wil was not unnerved.

Wil never returned to Britain.