AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 179, 24 April 1908, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY.

: ( • IMPORTANT , PROPOSALS. ..■The Commonwealth Conference of the Political Labour League is to be held this year in Brisbane, opening' on June 1. It is proposed/ among other things,'that the objec- ■ tiVo ■ of ; tlie Federal, aid State. Labour parties should be\ brought into line,; the one great objective to read, thus- . - . (a) The:securing of the full results of their,. ■ industry to ; all. wealth-producers by the col- .. lective ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, to bo attained through tho extension of the indue- ; trial and, economic functions, of the btate and 'local governing bodiesr . _■• ~ . ■ (b) The wisdom of settling international disputes by a council • of' civilised nations. (e) Cultivation of an Australian sentiment, bised upon'tho; maintenance of racial punty, - and the development in; Australia of cui c-ii-liulitencd and self-reliant community. In regard to Federal concerns, the Con-: 'ferenco will'bo' asked .to substitute- for, tho present tariff plank: the ."extension_ot the , . principle of scientific protection, pending the passage of tlieir collectivo.ownership. It is suggested, further, that the initiative and referendum should becomo a plank-of tho , platform, and that the Constitution bo amended so as. to provide for "uniform Industrial legislation," this principle to bo included in the fighting platform of the Leaguo. A progressive,.tax ~on , publiclycreated land values is urged, with exemption fixed' at £1000; and that there shall, be suf-, • ficiont inspection of all shipping in Australian waters, and that all navigation laws shall apply "to Government* as well as to privatoly-owned vessels. ~ , . An interesting proposal is one that:— Smco it is. desirable that candidates for, membership of the Federal Parliament should be persons wlioso qualifications are w ell known to the electors tliev seek to represent, the members of the Federal Labour party should endeavour to ' secure tho repeal of those restrictions which render members of Stato Parliaments ineligible as-.candidates- ~ for the Federal Legislature. Another significant proposal is that "hp alliance or coalition bo permissible for the I< ederal P.P.L. with aiiy .other .party,-. and,: pouding the passage of clectivo llinistries} no member of; tho party shall accept a; portfolio other than in a purely-- Labour Ministry, i . ~ ; Other important proposals: ; uponthe agenda paper include tho-.following: That the High Court of Australia shouldbo' tho final Court of Appeal ' lir Australian Cases• that .itho defence scheme .of tho Deakin Government be! approved;, that, the. Federal Constitution bo amended so that tho benefits'of the now protection, and' conoiliation and arbitration, bo extended to all State Government employees; that the Federal Government own and control air tho rail- _ ■ways of the Commonwealth; that, elcctivo ~ Ministries be an' additional plank in tho platform; and that to preserve the ties with the Mother Country, while still securing that;measure of freedom essential to the wcll-be-inc of Australia, the power of veto possessed bv the Imperial Government over the Com-, monwealth should inoperative as regards legislation which, after a general election, has been re-enacted and confirmed by ; a referendum. ~ 11T> ~ It is also proposed that the "Braddon blot" clause of the' Constitution- should not: . be re-enacted; that there bo more stringent administration of tho Immigration Restric- : " tion Act; that the fighting platform includo : a Commonwealth Bank; and that all Press ' cables should become tho proporty of the Commonwealth, and be under tlio control'of the Postmaster-GeneraU .- ...