LABOUR DISRUPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 86, 11 April 1922, Page 5

LABOUR DISRUPTION.

CAUSED BY MR. CATTS,

UNIONS BREAKING OFF. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Core-right.} (Received 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The ;ution of Mr. J. H. Catts (who was expelled from the Australian Labour party) in starrrng a fresh party which is opposed to the autocratic action of Hie present executive, is add- | ing to disruption in the Labour ranks. Already some unions have been holding meetings, and several of them have de- | riiled to secede from the old party.— lA. and K.Z. Cable.) Oflieial Labour is fighting one of the biggest hattJes of its life. Maybe it will win. but tJw chances are not too rosy. for the split that has occurred has oxtended throughout the State, and in the country especially feeling is running high (said the Sydney "Still" of Ist inst.). So serious ie the breach that already steps are being taken by individual members of the party to break away and to form what, will in all probability be known as the Independent Labour parly of New South AVales. Trouble has been brewing fo r month* patit. and ihe last straw came when the A.L.P. executive refused to allow certain 1 leagues to conduct, their own selection 1 ballots for last Saturday's campaign, j j Thin U one reason why. it in asserted, | I Labour was defeated. The executive of the A.L.P. is wonderinp why certain Labour candidates received such poor support from Labouvoters, but the answer to this, it is said, is that moderate Labourite.- became disgusted with the attitude of the executive, and resolved to vote for whom uiey thought best, instead of*the printed l-abour ticket. It is pointed out thai in Newcastle, an industrial centre, Mr. Kkelton. who is not an endorsed Labour man, but who relied upon "Protestant support." received the majority of his votes from genuine Labourites,'and this instance, it is said by the moderate*. N typical of many other seats. ! The new Independent Labour party, it ] is declared, will receive strone support because it will not stand for the actions of red-raggers. .Many people, supporters : of the moderates aver, now giving (heir votes to the Nationalist party, would be glad to fall in behind moderate Labour. For weeks past one section of Labour | has been making all sorts of allegations against the other, and it is because this one section has revolted against the! methods adopted that Labour nominees! received such a severe .setbai-k on Saturday last. Numerous candidates endor.-e this allegation and declare that they themselves received no more severe treatment than they did at the hands of their fellow candidates, who were ?o anxious to secure No. 1 preference vote thai they resorted to a.ll sorts of mean tactics.