NOT READY FOR LABOUR'

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 142, 18 June 1929, Page 19

NOT READY FOR LABOUR'

POLITICAL PROSPECTS. LABOUR M.P.'S ADMISSION. CRITICISM OF UNITED PARTY. "I admit that tb A country is not yet ready for Lab--' said ilr. E. J. Howard, lI.P. lor Christchurch South, in a pre-sesslonal address last week. ■'The farming community is not ready ror Labour. The workers of the cities have a fairly reasonable standard of comfort and wages. The farming class has resisted any move on. the part on the industrial worker to secure reasonable conditions and wages. I am confident that the time is coming when the working farmers will see that their only hope is in the Labour movement." "None of us in our wildest dreams," said ilr. Howard, iu referring to the resuit of the last general elections, "ever believed that what took place actually would take place." Prior to the last election Sir Joseph Ward had taken charge of a new party, which was composed mainly of members of what was | termed the 1028 committee, which had | been captured by the money powers of j the Dominion shortly after its forma- | tion. From somewhere the money came j for the election and the United party got into office. So Labour, which was the official Opposition, and which had been a most successful Opposition, took the cross benches, nineteen strong. Labour was not strong enough to resist any legislation which the other two parties wished to place upon the statute book. Labour's Attitude Undecided. "I cannot, for. the life of me, see any difference between the other two parties in the House." said iL\ Howard. "I cannot tell you what we will oppose or what we will support, because the leader of the country has not to Id us what he is going to do. I might say there has been a threat —probably a gioved-hand threat—by the Liberals that if we do not like their legislation they will go to the country.' 1 The Labour members, he said, would hold a caucus and would consider the legislative programme immediately it was announced. "If Sir -Joseph Ward brings down legislation at the command of the money class, to take off the statute book any of the legislation which was brought down in ilr. SeddoriV time for the benefit o: the workers," said the speaker, "you can take it from me f ~t Labour will vote against It, even if It means that the Labour members have to go into the political wilderness. If there is any reactionary legislation, you can look for an early election. I don't thick there will be an early election. Sir Joseph Ward is himself the father of most of that advanced leg is LiPoints of Agreement ilr. Howard said he did not anticipate that any drastic legislation would be put through. The Labour party did not disagree with the borrowing of £70.000.000. The Labour party did not disagree with the completion of the unfinished railways. fie was confident Labour would not disagree with Sir -Joseph Ward if he went in for closer settlement, for that was part of the La bo u r pro gr amm e.