LABOUR'S ATTITUDE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 74, 1 April 1929, Page 10

LABOUR'S ATTITUDE

TO THE GOVERNMENT

"MUCH WE CAN SUPPORT, BUT—"

The attitude of the New Zealand Labour .Party towards the Government is defined in the annual report of tho national executive adopted ■ at tho Labour Party Conference to-day.

"Tho elections- of November last," states the report, "resulted in tho return to.office of a Government with a varied programme, much of which the Labour Party can support. To the extent that legislation is introduced and the laws administered in. accord with the programme of the Labour Party, every member of tho party in Parliament will support the Government. The conflict is, however, still in progress. Tho enemies of Labour —the enemies of the people—are supporting the Government. The administrative acts of the Government as far as unemployment pay and policy are concerned are in conflict with the expressed policy of the Prime Minister. The heritage of New Zealand in so far as its public services are concerned is menaced —and you may rest assured that whatever name is given to a party or government, that party or government will be fought with tho full strength of Labour when its policy conflicts with tho. progress and well-being of the workers with hand and brain.

"We, believe that our policy is in the best interest of the' whole of the people. We believe that the policy must not only be written'into the laws, but must be administered by those with faith in co-operation against competition, whoso goal is the commonwealth of service. The existing system carries its own disintegrating factors, and soon or late the time will come when those who render service will receive their due reward, and the fruits of the earth shall be distributed, not in proportion to the power of wealth, or aims, but in accord .with the needs of the people. It is always well to remember that 'they conquer who believo they can'—and in the words of one of the pioneers, Robert Applegarth, 'We younger people can see further than the older ones, because we are.standing on their shoulders.' May the vision of the co-operative Commonwealth inspire every true servant of the people to go forward assured that in so far, that ho or sho is armed with the weapons of truth and equity, justice and mercy, the fight cannot be lost."

THE RECENT ELECTIONS,

Commenting on tho result of tho General Election last November, tho report states that the Labour Party's policy, set out in attractive newspaper advertisements, added to the discrediting of the Eeform Party, and Labour's inability to finance candidates in some important electorates resulted in the United Party winning 25 European seats, which, with the addition of one Independent and two Maori seats, gave it a following of 2S members in the House of Representatives. Tho report refers with regret to the loss of the services of Messrs. J. A. Leo and F. N. Bartram, Labour members who suffered defeat at tho elections, and adds that tho scats lost should bo won again at tho next elections.