WELFARE MOVEMENT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XI, Issue 54, 17 February 1921, Page 5

WELFARE MOVEMENT.

SECOND MEETING OF LEAGUE. COMBATTING EVIL OF EXTREMISM Wellington, Feb. 17. The second annual meeting of the Welfare League was held to-day. Mr. Skerrett, K.C., presided, and delegates were present representing all parts of New Zealand. Mr. Skerrett delivered his presidential address, reviewing the causes which led to the formation of the league. He stated that the movement with revolutionary aims commenced before the 1913 strike, which was designed to advance the aim of extremists. During the war by insisting on unreasonable demands and concessions extremists obtained control of big unions which wore essential to the life of the country. They were using these organisations not for promotion of the true interests of the workers, but so as to secure the ultimate abolition of capital and private enterprise. Vigorous propaganda had resulted in considerable support for this movement. The league was formed to combat this, and to show by education that true progress was attainable by gradual reform of existing institutions. In this work the,re .had been much success, but there was greater need than ever for the league to oppose those who sought disruption of industry and the imposition on the Dominion of the Soviet system of Bolshevism, which would place control of all industries and every activity in the hands of the manual workers.