THE FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15172, 9 January 1915, Page 10

THE FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER.

VIEWS ON LABOUR

(I'IIESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, January 8

Replying to an address of welcome from the Labour organisations tonight, the Right Hon. Andrew Fisher, Prime Minister of Australia, said: —

''I had the privilege during my short stay in Auckland to receive a deputation representing the whole of the organised labour bodies in Auckland, and to receive their welcome to this country, and also their good wishes .towards tho people of Australia. lam : glad that you can present a united adI dress to anyone at the present moment. 'If all. that 1 have read were .to be l taken literally, you are not in agree- ! metit on any question whatever. It is ; not so bad as that —it cannot be bad at '■ ail when you can unite even on an oc- | casion such as this. There are great ' propositions in the world politically, aud . there are none in my opinion of "such great importance as those which , bind union to union, man to man, ■ woman to woman. My desire is to : prove that all persons will get their | due reward for the toil they expend, | and no person will get more. (Applause). | "During my thirty years in Australia I havo seen many changes, [mostly for tho better, some no doubt j for the worse. There have been some j little set-backs, but happily there has | been ono general state of progress, ; ameliorating the hard conditions of the j toiling masses, and providing succour j ami comfort for those who are past providing for themselves. (Applause). I You in New Zealand have no reason to regret many acts—social, industrial, and political—that have been passed ; through your Parliaments during twenty odd years. It would seem that on the social side, if 1 may be permitted to say so. we have lagged on the steps of the" temple, but it united organised labour demand some new reform of utility and benefit to themselves and the whole community there is no force in Parliament or oiit of it that can prevent vonr having it. (Applause.) The time has passed, in my opinion, when we need any of us to resort to force. (Hear. hear, and a voice, "Only Massey"). Ifc is an intellectual struggle between those who have" votes as to what policy shall prevail, •and when.any of us who are democrats | deride Parliaments, denounce them, or i eav we would sweep them all away, jwe are, in my opinion, unfit to compete ; with our fellow-labourer intellectually. i Eacn of you here.-I believe, has a, right to one vote and not more. If that is so and we have a good case to present to an intelligent democracy then we ought to win. But if we are divided in. our. counsels and divided in our actions, it is little wonder that our opponents may succeed. lam not deriding, lam not complaining, though I must, from imy point of view, regret that you are not more united from 6ne end "of New Zealand to the other. (Applause.) My suggestion to you is to begin to. put your house in order, get together on a set of principles you can agree upon, j and act on. set. out on a pilgrimage, i a'campaign,'to-explaia-to tho people of this country what that platform and policy is, until they understand it, and then—but not till then—will you meet with that. success, or partial success, which we have met with in Australia, which, I believe, -without disrespect to other parties, is the best and safest course for a democratic community to pursue. -(Applause.) "Now one word as to the future. The chairman made reference to the little services that his Majesty's Australian Navy had been able to render, both to the Commonwealth and to New Zealand in the South Pacific. That question was a bitterly debated one ..five years ago. In Australia to-day there is hardly a citizen of note or a representative alive in any Parliament who does not acknowledge that we did the right thing. I mention that fact for thi s reason: It was most unpopular five years ago. Many people thought tho aim and object of the Labour Party .was separation from the Mother Country, and to make Australia an independent, nation, and the-'feeling was .tense and high. But if you havo a policy, ladies and-gentlemen, that you think is right, pursue it irrespective of the powers that aro against you. (Applause.) If you have the determination and the men to get before the people on the platform, it matters not |if you have no mouthpiece through the I Press; tho people can be reached if I you havo a story to tell them worth j telling. On these grounds wo were i able to win in Australia.

"Lastly. I havo to ask a favour of you. .and it is this: That your organised bodies in New Zealand will send representatives to the Commonwealth of Australia to tell us what your conditions are here, what.your, aims and objects are. go into consultation with the representatives of our organisations there for an interchange of view-,-, because, although youjive. toil and have your existence in New Zealand, the men and women in Australia are working nndar practically- similar circumstances. We should,know your conditions and your advantage, as. you should know ourj. Tho day wo have a free, comprehensive interchange of views on all social, industrial, and political subjects—that day we put our step on the itrst- rung of the ladcr, that will lead to abstract justice, if not equality omou2 all men. (Applause.) -"I think I ani able to say that, though this visit is*-primarily one of health and recreation, the outcome of it will be at the very least that there will bo reciprocity between this Dominion and tho Commonwealth as regards the pavtaent of invalid and old age pensions." (Applause.)