TRADES AND LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 285, 1 December 1928, Page 20

TRADES AND LABOUR NOTES.

(By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This Evening, Decemlber I—Bakers.1 —Bakers. Monday, December 3—Drivers, Shipwrights, Grocers' Assistants. Tuesday, December 4 —Freezing Workers. Wednesday, December s—Tramway Employees. Thursday, December 6—Boilermakers. THE FIRST TEST. Now that the elections are over and all the members of the new Parliament, except the member for Bay of Islands, are securely settled in their seats, all eyes are directed to what will happen next Tuesday at Wellington, when the new Parliament will meet for the first trial of strength. It seems to be practically a certainty that, as the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Joseph Ward will assume office as the head of a Liberal Government, on a no-confidence motion which will be supported by the members of the Labour party. I confess that I like the term Liberal much better than that of United, for during the election campaign, judged by the utterances of the candidates, that party was far from united, and it was only the declaration by Sir Joseph Ward a couple of days before polling day that the United party would combine with Labour to put Reform out of office. if necessary that gave any indication of united action. Under a Liberal Government, Labour can experience the satisfaction of knowing that the present Acts of Parliament will be administered in a more liberal spirit than they have been for the last 16 years. As an instance I cite the Arbitration Act, which originally was the creation of a Liberal Government, and was administered for years by Ministers and heads of Departments who were in sympathy with the provisions of the Act.

Under the new Government there will be a fairer administration of the Labour Department, amongst others. If the Ward Government includes in its programme a better administration of existing laws there will be no need to further consider any amendments to the Arbitration Act, such as was foreshadowed by the abortive national conference of this and last year. Other movements such as national insurance against unemployment and stoppage of assisted immigration until the Dominion has absorbed its own unemployed will also find considerable support from the Labour party. No doubt the new Minister of Finance will have to look for ways and means of increasing the revenue, but any measure to replace the payment of income tax on the shoulders of those well able to bear it, viz, the large landed proprietors, who were relieved of this obligation by the Coates Government, will also secure a big support from the Labour nineteen. My own opinion is that th© Dominion will have no cause to regret the change of Government. LABOUR IN POLITICS. In view of the political situation in New Zealand it is interesting to note that much discussion in the Home Country is centred around the relationship of parties. -Mr. Lloyd George has stated very definitely that the Liberal party cannot enter into any understanding, formal or informal, with any party in any circumstances to advance measures or policies in which the party disbelieves and which the party knows to be detrimental to the interests of the country. The party is pledged to resist every attempt to set up what i 3 known as a Socialist State and to substitute nationalisation for private enterprise. If, however, a Liberal Government is not attainable ip the next Parliament Mr. Lloyd George states that "there is a vast territory common to men of progressive minds in all parties which they can at any rate during this interval agree to cultivate without abandoning any of the principles and ideals which they cherish, but in these circumstances the conditions of co-operation and understanding must be honourable to all and humiliating to none."

Mr. Runciman, in a later speech, emphasised certain points. He said: —

"Neither now nor during the election would I be any party to surrendering the claims of Liberals to the confidence of the country and their ambition to secure a clear majority for their own views in Parliament. Bargains and pacts are demoralising; they lead inevitably to coupon elections; and the only line for a self-respecting party is to fight for the acceptance of its own views without compromise or alliances.

"Even if there were no question of self-respect, the political Situation in Great Britain demands a clear assertion of unalloyed Liberalism, both in resistance to Socialism —with all the»gambling risks that that entails to the livelihood of our people—and to protection, which, in .this country, is only a gamble of another nature.

"The Socialists, on the one hand, preach and depend on clas„ antagonism. The Conservatives, on the other hand, are largely actuated by class fear. Each of these, in their policy, wish to pick and choose in favour of the section of the population which they like best. There remains, therefore, a crying need for the preservation of the impartial progress which has always been the characteristic of Liberal propaganda and legislation."

Mr. Philip Snowden, one of the leaders of the Labour party, commenting on Mr. Lloyd George's speech, said: —

"I agree with him when he says that if no one party has a majority then the party which takes office cannot be expected to carry out its own policy fully regardless of the support upon which it will have to rely from some other political party.

"May I say this, whether it be palatable or not? I do not want a Labour party which has not a majority in the House of Commons, and which has not a majority in the country, to introduce extreme measures into the House of Commons, because I am convinced if it did the majority of the country being against it a reaction would be bound to follow, which would have disastrous effects on the party. "That problem of a Socialist party which in numbers has not a majority in the House of Parliament is a problem which every Socialist party inE~ has had to face more than once. -They have dealt with it i n varioUß according to the special circumstance which at the time, and therefore I / ur ther discussing this question 'sufficient unto the day is the evil I thereof.'

"If we are faced with a situation like that after the next election, I say to the rank and file of the Labour and Socialist movement that they can depend upon the wisdom and judgment of the leaders of their party to do what is best in the interests of the movement and in the interests of the country*"