AN AMALGAMATION OF FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1195, 2 August 1911, Page 6

AN AMALGAMATION OF FORCES.

(. POLITICS IN AUSTRALIA. PEOPLE'S LIBERAL PARTY. TWO LEAGUES UNITE. The negotiations that have been proceeding for many weeks past, under the chairmanship of Mr. P. O. Blackwood (president of the Victorian \ I'm plovers' Federation) between the Commonwealth Liberal parly and the People's party, with a view to union; have been successful (.says tho Melbourne "Age" of July 22). An amalgamation of lorres on the foundation of what is regarded as an advanced Liberal programme has been achieved, and a. basis of union, objective and platform have been agreed upon. Tho results of tho conferences have been embodied in a booklet which has been sent out to the branches of the Commonwealth Liberal party and the People's party for their consideration. In the course of a memorandum accompanying tho booklet, tho following statements are made:— "Tho splendid majority secured against the referendum showed the valuo of organisation, even , w-hen in an imperfect form. The various leagues worked through t!io campaign under the council of the league, which linked the different bodies together in a loose sort of union. This worked well enough in a way, but as many drawbacks to such an imperfect form of union manifested themselves, it becamo evident that if the best possiblework was to be done in the future it would he necessary to unite the. leagues more closely. With this in view, negotiations were opened up soon after the finish of the referendum campaign, and have been carried on ever since,' resulting at last in the executives of the Commonwealth Liberal party and the People's party unanimously agreeing to submit a scheme for the uniting of these two bodies for consideration by their brandies with a recommendation that the proposals be accepted. /'Although the Australian Women's National Lcngue remains as a separate organisation., prepared to continue the excellent work it has done in the past, there is every hope that when the other two bodies are. uuited an arrangement will be.come to by which the league will, by a form of affiliation, work in close harmony with the new union. "As considerable interest has recently been shown.regarding the question of the selection of candidates for Parliamentary stats, attention may bo drawn to No. 6a and the- following clauses under the 'Constitution and which deal specially with this matter." Basis of Union. Tho following is tho basis of union, objective, platform (Federal and State), and principal rules of the proposed People's Liberal party:— That the parly be established on tho basis of a covenant of union to stand by the decision of the majority in matters political. The union of all electors, men and women, in one party throughout the Commonwealth to secure in the Federal and State Parliaments legislation for the development of Australia upon a democratic basis. To uphold the Federal union and to encourage recognition of our Imperial responsibility. To assert tho p'riuciplo that all representatives of tho people should be directly and solely responsible, to tho people for their votes and actions. . To adopt a vigorous and judicious immigration policy. To promote and support the continuous development of all the national resources by a prudent policy, when necessary, of local and foreign loans, supported by adequate sinking funds. To promote efficiency in all public services and economy in expenditure. To amend the electoral laws so as to secure actual representation of majorities, and to maintain tho system of voting by post. Federal Platform. To maintain a "white Australia." To maintain a. policy of effective defence by land and sea. To give effect to tho policy of protection as at present accepted by the people, and to secure the establishment of a permament tariff board, with a view to the development of the policy along scientific lines, having due regard' to the interests of all sections of the people. To create an inter-State commission for , the harmonising of wages and industrial conditions throughout the Commonwealth, keeping in view necessary State control. To secure, if necessary, to the Federal Government full power to control trusts and combines operating in harmful restraint of., trade within any Stato of tho Commonwealth. State Platform. To retain and liberalise tho Legislative Council. To promote a vigorous policy of land development by (a) making Crown lands available for occupation; (b) acquiring on just terms private lands suitable ° for closer settlement; (e) assisting liberally all desirable settlers; (d) stimulating agricultural davelopment and education lo promote a policy of road and railway extension under more liberal conditions than at present exist. To promote tho extension of water conservation for irrigation, mining, and domestic supply. To establish 'aud maintain effective forestry.

io encourage-decentralisation and tho development of all convenient and suitablo seaports. To maintain Stato control over local industrial matters. To promoto legislation of a humanitarian character, and to ensure a fair wago and healthful conditions of employment to all workers, by approved factory legislation and a judicious extension of a wages board system, applicable to employer and employee alike. . T'O raise our primary, secondary, and technical education to the highest modern standards. To encourage individual effort and private enterprise. To adjust present methods of taxation, having regard to federal imposts. To protect motherhood, ami to minimise infaut mortality, providing also for the care of children and of the feebleminded, domestic training, and the representation of women on public bodies which affect their interests' or those of children. Tho Party Rules. Tho following are the principal rules of tho united organisation:— Tho affairs of the party shall be directed by a council, which shall be elected annually.

The council shall consist of two delegates from .each State electorate committee. The officers of the executive shall act as officers of the council. Meetings of tho council shall be he,ld annually, but emergency meetings may be called by the executive. An annual convention, which shall bo the annual general meeting of tbo People's Liberal party shall be held in Melbourne during l'oyal Agricultural Show week each year. All electors, male and female, who subscribe to the basis of union, and are in accord with the objective and endorse the platform of the party, shall be eligiblo for membership. Every member undertakes to vote at all. Parliamentary and other elections, and to. advance in every possible way tho interests of the party. # The electorate committeo may invite candidates to authorise their names to be submitted for selection, or any twenty members within tho electorate may nominate 11 candidate for selection. When intimation is received from the executive that a candidate is to be selected far the elee.torafe, the secretary shall forthwith summon a meeting of his electorate committee for the purpose of arranging for a selection. No member shall be permitted to vote at such a selection who is not on the roll of one of the branches in such electorate. Prior to the ballot the electorate committeo shall submit the nominations to the central executive for approval. The executive may refer back to the electorate committee any recommendation submitted relative to the selection of a candidate, or may appoint one or more of its members to confer with the electorate committee before any recommendation made by surh electorate committee in respect to Ihr selection of n candidate or candidates is endorsed by the executiTa.