LABOUR RALLY

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 33, 10 February 1919, Page 3

LABOUR RALLY

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN

OPENED

PREPARING FOR A GENERAL

ELECTION

The first meeting in a national campaign projected by the New Zealand Labour Party was held at the King's Theatre last night. Mr. Andrew Parlane, president of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee, presided. There was a big attendance. The Chairman referred to the coming municipal elections, and expressed the hope that Labour would secure the control of the reins. The first speaker was Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P.. who stated that Labour had no need to apologise for inaugurating a campaign "against the worst Government New Zealand ever had." (Applause.) The first part of the programme would be to tell the people the nature of Labour's ideals, and the second part would be the formation of branches of the party in all places where branches did not exist now. Mr. Holland stated that as a result of dissension in Cabinet the General Election would probably be held in July next, instead of at the beginning of December, as was at first proposed. In any case, it was particularly desirable that Labour should be j prepared. In the past it had left its preparations too late. He criticised the rush tactics of Parliament, and asserted that no Bill should be put forward for its second reading until it had been at least a fortnight in the public print. Labour's platform, providing for the referendum and the initiative, would be the best means of overcoming the difficulty. Mr. Holland stated that Labour's policy was frankly a socialistic policy. (Applause.) He referred at length to Sir Joseph Ward's policy of raising war loans free of income tax, and asserted that when the Union Co. loaned a quarter of a million sterling, a present of £11,250 per annum was made to it. Yet, when the locomotive men working on the railways asked for an increase, the Government replied : "We have not got the money." They had the money for the Union Company, but not for the railway men, and the country was faced with serious trouble accordingly. The speaker showed that substantial increases had been made in favour of the higher paid officials. On another point Mr. Holland stressed the danger of "intensified militarism." The proposed training over a period of four months was only the thin edge of the wedge. Soon the four months would be extended to 12 months, and then to two and three years, as was the case in France and Germany. The chief planks in the Labour platform were proportional representation, the abolition of "the House of Landlords" — the Legislative Council—the initiative and the referendum, extension of pensions (to cover widows and f'the soldiers of industry"), nationalisation of the medical profession, free and secular education, and equal rights for women (including representation in Parliament). The Labour Party was the logical and legitimate successor of the Ballance and Seddon Liberal Party, and when its numbers were augmented after the next General Election it would be in a better position to attend to the interests of the working men, and so bring about a now era of social justice.

Mrs. Beck stated that the time had long passed when women should devote all their time to domestic duties, and they should realise their responsibilities when recording their votes. The New Zealand Labour Party was the only party in New Zealand which had a "sound educational policy—free and compulsory from the kindergarten to the university, and was opposed to military instruction of any sort. Labour could commence its educational reform by electing Labour men to the school committees, and so make the' first step in capturing the Education Boards and displacing "the present representatives of the capitalistic class." Labour was more determined than ever to fight militarism, and if for that reason alone, every man and woman who was class-conscious should come forward and help.

Mr. P. Fraser, M.P. for Wellington Central, said Labour stood to capture the local governing bodies, as well as the Parliament of the Dominion, and when Labour succeeded, the word charity would go out of existence as far as New Zealand was concerned. The Labour unions were out to capture the industries, and until it succeeded politically and industrially New Zealand would not bn properly governed. It was the working classes—those in Russia and Germany— who had ended the war. (Applause.) It was unfortunate that the workers in all the countries had not decided upon a general strike and so prevented a class war. But the lesson had been learnt, and Labour's war was now in full swing. The world to-day was in crying need of a now system, because the old system was breaking up. The world was in crying need of new principles, and these principles must be socialistic. (Hear, hear..) New Zealand should not worry about the influx of thousands of soldiers, who should merely lighten the burden of workers already here. The Government went on its hands and knees and begged private employers to find work for returned men. Why did not the State come forward with national, socialistic schemes? Because they knew that Socialism was the enemy of capitalism. "They say there is no reason for industrial trouble," stated Mr. Fraser. "Well, the cost of living has gone up 60 per cent., and the value of wages has been reduced accordingly. Exploitation has gone on all the time, aaid if there is an increase of 60 per cent, in the cost of living, the exploiters have made profits totalling £60,000,000. And it still goes on." Under the present conditions it was absolutely impossible to bring up a family on less than £1 per day, and yet only 30.000 people in New Zealand received that amount or more. Industrial troubles would continue until there was a just distribution of wealth.

' The ■ meeting concluded with three cheers for Labour.