LABOUR'S ASPIRATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 April 1912, Page 5

LABOUR'S ASPIRATIONS

A LONELY FURROW.

AWKWARD INCIDENT AT A ,

SOCIAL.

[bt telegraph—special ' to the’, stab.)

WELLINGTON, This Day.

Indications plain enough in ■'their way, as to the Labour attitude towards the two main parties in Parliament have been given , though the official attitude has ngt yet been defined. A rather embarrassing moment at the social: gathering in. connection with the conference threw into prominence this feature “of the nolitical situation.

The ‘liew Government was represented in strong force, and the ex-Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) with the ex-Miriister of Public Works (U°n..R., MoKeiizie) were* also quests. , Naturallv they all spojke, the main theme being the alliance' between the progressive forces. ■ ‘ V'. ■ . » When the final Ministerial utterance was nearly at an end Mr Hindraarsh, Labor M.P- for Wellington i South,; impatiently interrupted the Hon J. A. Hanau-s peroration with the ;declaration ... .. ~. .. ‘‘Mr Chai rmaii, I refused’ io : attend the Liberal caucus (he other,day, •hope you will allow hue to i'etire from this meeting.” With that, .the,-excitable ! stalked awu^:Wom;;the -v 'fqßt.»ve scene, and tfiere was a dead, silence:',The incident; was left, alone by subsequent speakers'"' Now there is some; soreness among; the Labour delegates ! over inviting, ‘ the Liberal Cabinet i to . the gathering. ' , Professor Mills introduced 4 the subject at. yesterday’s confenfhce of the Labour party. .. i ' . . “That this' conference, sincerely regrets the occurrence of last night, and the unfortunate position into which the delegates were unwilling placed, and suggests a joint resolution of both bodies on the reassembly of- the Unity Conference,- ; v, •:;; x.v;-

Mr J. A. McCullough hoped the conference would support the inbtioh. The matter must 1 be. discussed, at the Unity 1 Conference. . He ) therefore thought it would be well for the Labour party to deal with the question now in the way proposed.

.> Professor Mills said the ouestion bf, 'the' invitations to the “socidi” and the drawing up of the toast listi-would .be; sure to come up for discussion at the. Unity Conference. resolution he -had moved simply 1 affirmed the dissent of the Labour Party in reference to, the points he had indicated. • • The Chairman (Mr W. J Hampton) said he was in full accord, with the terms of the motion, «jiKli}xe thought it would be wise if the conference adopted it. The attitude of jthe united* Labor Party of New Zealand-to other bodies should go. forth, in • lUiraistakaTile -terms, and their.relationship to all pther lahou’rS parties should bo made clear. With "to last night’s “social,” he might say /that; ho was not oil the committee which organised the arangement *of ’ the programme .'.of the ''social” He had always stood for an ' independent' attitude on the part of labor. He had. sometimes got into hot water in • consequence. He would never depart from j the attitude he had always-taken, ' up. • He', had affirmed and, would continue to affirm |hat the line of action-of the'party in the political field must lie, absolutely free and independent -and untrammelied hv any obligations whether verbal or written, with : any .of political parties of the Dominion. *, , U . Mr D. McLaren; said that 5 so-far as that party was concerned they were 'absolutely clear of * sliding. ..ipwyyhe invitations to the' \ right through 'agreed- • 'that the ole\v. «eia.lan^:‘labour' pariy - ahprtld: be-ih-;&lutelv:; and- entirely apart from .any sthcr party. ; . ! ’ ; sdld' , / tlK*‘ i*Tiang«-' haents at the previous njght's •‘social” in a false position. I” The'.motion waa ?ofime4. without . diV