POLITICAL MANIFESTO OF UNITED LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 259, 1 November 1890, Page 5

POLITICAL MANIFESTO OF UNITED LABOUR.

The meeting of delegates from the various labour organisations in and around th 9 ciby of Auckland, held in view of the forthcoming general election, has formally decided upon the following platform :— " Wo, the duly - elected delegates of United Labour in conference assembled, agree in formally proclaiming : "Thab unjusb legislation and class supremacy is undermining the foundations of public liberty, and impoverishing tho producing classes. " That this wealthy colony is ruled in the interests of the low, and ab the expense of the many. THEREFORE, we appeal to all who seek the emancipation of Labour, who would endeavour to make our island homo an island Commonwealth, to throw aside those minor differences that have kept them apart, and join hand-in-hand with us in organising a determined and patriotic movement to uphold and defend the following clearly-defined proposals for reform :— , " 1. The property tax to he abolished, and a 1 per cent, tax on the unimproved value of all land to be substituted (the same to be doubled on land known to -bo-held for purely speculative purposes). "2. No more Crown lands to be sold, but tho settlement of the same by an independent yeomanry populabion insisbed upon. (The land and tho raw maberial bherein being tho common property and heritage of tho whole people.) "3. Government and municipal contracts to be given only to firms pledged to pay a stated minimum rate of wages. Eight hours to be made a legal day's work, and no contracb foreign labour permitted to enter into the colony. " 4. Drastic reform of our State railway management based on the pivotal principle that railroads are public highways. "5. The gradual developmenb of the Government Savings Bank into a Stafco Bank of Issue. The nation's credit to be organised for the purpose of encouraging productive enterprise. "In the approaching electoral campaign tho united power of democracy may be for the first time effectively concentrated upon the ballot box to bring aboub a Bockd renaissance. "All patriotic electors who desire to practically promote the welfare of this country —who would sweep away abuses—who would establish justice and see fair play— we ask all such bo unibo wibh us in a determined effort to secure the same, by returning selected men as Parliamentary representatives, pledged to uphold and defend by voice and vote the above clearlydefined principles. '* And we earnestly solicit the co-opera-tion of every man and woman in tho community, who, sickened with tho corrupt degradation of politics, desire by constitutional methods to adopt such reforms as will renew national prosperity and bring hope into the homes of the poor. " Signed on behalf of the delegates, and by order of the Executive. " Arthur Desmond, " Hon. Secretary." Tho United Labour Party wish ib. to be clearly understood that they lay special stress on the first plank in bhe above platform. This programme was duly considered at three formal meetings of the Committee before final adoption. The Committee will now proceed to selecb candidates, whose names, we understand, are to be submitted to Sir George Grey for approval. .