The Evening Star SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1904. POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 12308, 24 September 1904, Page 6

The Evening Star SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1904. POLITICAL POINTS

Tc understand the position it is necessary to get down to bed-rock, and An InUepee. getting down there we find deat that a meeting of Trades ConJ'artr. ferenco delegates, held at Wellington this week, drew up a constitution and platform. One of the planks of tho latter provides that at the next General Election every candidate will be asked to pledge himself to support the constitution and platform irrespective of party or political questions. He will ako be to pledge himself to retire if not iinallv selected by the party, and it is anticipated that, tho Labor members in the next Parliament will have their own caucuses, and will appoint their own Leader, as is the case in the Commonwealth ;md in some of the State Parliaments of Australia. Tho wholei matter is being arranged from within the Trades and Labor Councils. The present members of the House have not been consulted in any way. Some of them, it is understood, are not in sympathy with the movement. Tliis is the bed-rock which, it is nnnecessary to remark, is decidedly rocky. When the Labor deputation met him the other day the Premier took The Premier on the opportunity to meet, the the Situation, question of this threatened independence fairly and squ;irely. lie w,i« a bit handicapped at th 3 outset by his repeated failures to reply to tho request of tho Qpuncil for an interview. Pour letters that were unanswered made a formidable fence for any man to get over, but tho Premier is not on ordinary man. ■ He explained, with his habitual coolness, thai tho circumstance was protwbly due to the fact that during his recent illness letters miscarried in some way. It is whispered (and correctly) that before he appointed, an how

to meet the deputation some rather sulphurous or, at all events, suggestive resolutions had been passed to the effect that the right hon. gentleman was meeting various deputations, and there were little sarcastic independent things, and a drastic "cut the painter" resolve. But once face' to face with the deputation this kind of thing was as dust in the balance. The Premier, who dominates Prohibition and the "trade" alike, had little difficulty. Of course he faced them with a query about this embryotio "independence." The deputation were not ready to go on with that subject, but of course that made no difference to the Right Honorable Richard J. Seddon, who was -both ready and willing to get to that particular business. He pointed out in the most genial and magisterial manner that "the Trades and Labor people knew their own business best," but iS seemed to him that the experience of this country taught the fact that the Labor party bad got everything they wonted by working loyally with the Liberal party without independence, whereas the Labor party in Australia, who had taken up the Independent attitude which the party here are apparently going in for, had not yet got near the fringe of the position so comfortably occupied by the Labor party in New Zealand. The deputation were not prepared to discuss the matter, but the Premier put them into a very bad fix by pressing the question. He practically told them that they were endangering their chances of further benefits, and they had not one word to say against his conclusion. The result shows that unless they have the support, of the caucus these Labor leaders are about the unreadiest men you kui meet in a dav's tvalk.

It is. of course, idle to talk of the grand

programme which was passed T»e Fnlort of at Christcuurch last Easter. the Party It is the groundwork and

pillar of their organisation; but it is too large, too unwieldy, too faddy, aud too much in opposition to the practical common sense of the country to have a moment's chance at any time—election or otherwise. There is only one word to say to these gentlemen who are so aspiring. It is this: If they do not take care they will cut themselves off by their aspirations from the alliance which has got them the best Labor position in all Australasia.

What they have to complain of it pasaes

the wit of man to conceive. lieare Well They have got almost everyAlone thing by the present system, yet tliey want to discard it! They lwve actually been foolish enough to mistake a. success for a faiinre. If they insist that it has not been a failure, which is practically what their refusal to meet the Premier on this if sue of Independence means, lhe proper thing for them to do is to act up to their belief in the wisdom of a- policy which has placed them at the summit of all reasonable ambition. It is probable that their decision has been prompted by the great growth of the Country party, who have their oragnisation in the Farmers' Union. Assuming that all that has been said about the latter Union be correct, which it is not, then the btst reason exists for perseverance with a system of alliance which has proved its solidity by the great benefits it has attained. This is not a time to introduce an element of division, which may eventually lead to disruption. Have thfse Labor champion;? never heard of the maxim of the Romans, by virtue of which that remarkably practical people divided the world before they made an easy conquest of it? Has it never entered into their experience that it is a good thing to let well alone? Lastly, as the Premier said so suggestively, the system has achieved results that are positively unique in the experience of Australian aud world-wide politics. Why want to change. This notion of " Independence " suggests that organised labor has waxed fat and is kicking, while its head goes on swelling. It is in a bad state ; therefore get out of it. Moreover, what is the condition of affairs in Australia with Independent labor parties? It is confusion worse confounded,

Snoci/n the Industrial Arbitration and Conciliation Amendment Bill—

liabor now before the Labor Bills Legislation Committee, where it awaits the printing of the evidence —be proceeded with this session, it is likely to furnish one of the liveliest debates on Labor questions generally that has taken place for many years. According to current gossip some startling statements, based on the testimony of representatives of labor 02-ganisa.tions, are likely to be made with reference (o the administration and methods of the inspectors of uwards. It is stated that it Trill be alleged that several of the Labor lenders were, opposed to the appointment of such officers. With respect to permits to allow men to work for less than the minimum wage some curious statements may be looked for. It will be asserted, for example, that in a town in the North Island permits had been granted to a number of laborers to do painting work, that at the end of the term the stipendiary magistrate (there being no chairman of a Conciliation Board for the particular district) refused a request to renew the permits, that the intervention of the member for the district was sought, that .the Premier was then com-

municated with, and that after a short interval the permits were granted—the result, seemingly, of political influence. Probably the Bill will not be proceeded with this session, and the anticipated Fpicy revelations may have to stand over till the recess; but even should such prove to be the ease, the evidence given before the Labor Bills Committee from the labor representatives will be laid on the table, and much of it will be sure to find its way into print, and will well repay perusal.