THE MANA OF PETER BOWLING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1017, 5 January 1911, Page 4

THE MANA OF PETER BOWLING.

:—.4 ■ POSITION RATHER MIXED.'- 0 " - Commenting yesterday upon a proposal, approved .by Mr. 1 M. Laracy, secretary or the- Shearers':' Union, that Mr. Peter Bowling should be appointed-organiser of workers in New Zealand, Jlr. E. J. Carey (president of the Wellington Trades' anil Labour Council), stated that evidently the proposal had emanated from a minority section of the Christchurch trade unionists. The view of these people was not to bo taken seriously. It was not for Mr. Laracy and his iriends to deal with tho question of appointing a Dominion organThe matter was one that could be handled only by delegates at the annual Trades Council and Labour Party Conference, which is to assemble a few months hence.

To men of Mr. Laracy's temperament;' Mr. Bowling'might appear an ideal organiser, but he was not so regarded by a -majority of officials and trades unionists in the Dominion. As a matter of fact, tho Wellington _ and Dunedin Trades Councils had rejected proposals regarding him. '

"We want," said Mr. Carey, "to do honour to.men who ut least will givo to. those who differ from them credit for honesty of intention and purpose, and not to individuals who arc forever attacking the Labour party officials." Mr. Carey ridiculed the mention of Mr.' Bowling as an organiser tor a political Labour party. "What an apostacy," he remarked, "that would be! Mr. Bowling openly avows his disbelief in present-day political action, and as against it urges the possibilities of class-conscious industrial unionism." Finally, Mr. Carey characterised any trouble that exists in Labour ranks us "only a Dominion replica of the internecine trofiblc in tho trade union movement of all countries." (Ey .Telegraph.—l'ress Association.) Christch'urch, January 4. As the outcome of an address given by Peter Bowling hero oil Sunday night last, a meeting of workers was held tonight to discuss the desirableness of Mr. Bowling's services being retained to organise the Labour party of the Dominion, and to heal the breach existing in tho ranks of local labourites. About seventy or eighty were present, and, after a lengthy discussion, it was resolved: "That this meeting invites the New Zealand Federation of Labour to retain the services of Peter Bowling for a further term of eight weeks, and pledges itself to port it to tho best of its ability, both ■ financially and otherwise, to organise on the lines of his addross on Sunday evening."