[3] He was also Chairman of the National Anti-Sweating League, an advocacy group which campaigned for a minimum wage in industry.

The choice soon proved a great success; under Gardiner's direction, it became one of the leading liberal journals of its day, as he improved its coverage of both the news and literary matters while crusading against social injustices.

His uniqueness lay in his ability to teach the basic truths of life in an easy and amusing manner.

The collections Pillars of Society, Pebbles on the Shore, Many Furrows and Leaves in the Wind are some of his best-known writings.

A reviewer of Pebbles on the Shore said Gardiner wrote with "fluency, deftness, lightness, grace, and usually a very real sparkle".