WORKERS AND PROHIBITIONIST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12559, 22 July 1901, Page 3

WORKERS AND PROHIBITIONIST.

PROPOSED AMALGAMATION.

OVERTURES BY MR T. E. TAYLOft. At the " social" in tho Art Gallery on Saturday evening to Mr G. J. Smith, J h.c successful candidate at the by-election, Mi T. E. Taylor suggested that tho Prohjbitionistsi and ihe workers should woik together at;"the next general election. One marked change which, had token place , in politics within: tho, last, ten yews, h« said, was the attitude of the Trades and Labour Council. Mr J. M'Oullough; lht ex-president of the Council, was at one with the speaker's party in regard to *ihi great moral issue it had introduced infci politics, and so was the Council itself. Mi Taylor, continuing, said that he looked- forward to the time, which, was nob far distant, when two large forces would bo amal gamated. The Prohibitionists, joining hands with the wage-earning classes, woulc sweep the poll at the general election 'to wards the* end of next year. (Applause. It might appear, that Mr Smith's sup porters had been running against the'can didate of the Trades and Labour Counci at the recent by-election, and that then .hods been some antagonism; but "if tfci Trades and Labour Council scrutinised M; Smith's actions, it would find that bj would, by voice and vote, do as much fo the workers, and the interests they'had a heart, as would be done by any nomine from their own ranks. (Hear, hear.). Pel haps Mr Smith would carry more influenc in the House of Representatives than - straight out trades and labour man Passing on, the speaker said that if th movement with which ho was associatewas anything, it was a working man' movement. The party to which. he be longed should not be severed political from a large percentage of the wagc-ean ing class an the city. Some of those pn sent might say that the demands of th workers were exhorbitant, but the workei might reply in the same terms. Thei should be devised some common basis < action, so that, at the general election, xl forces could be amalgamated. If necei sary, the Prohibitionists should maka cor cessions, and he did not see why the should not go hand-in-hand with. '.l' Trades and Labour Council, and return, t Parliament men who would stand firm! against the only monopoly in the. colon; It was certainly the only monopoly/ -and should be deprived of Parliamentary, re] reservation, as far as this city was c6] cerned, at any rate. , . Mr Smith, when he was addressing tho; present, later on, referred to Mr Taylor remarks. He said that the proposed ama "amation would have to be. very careful considered. He was not giving expressh to that opinion in a spirit of antagonis to the Trades and Labour Council, or any particular body, but he did think th serious consideration should bo given to tl question- of amalgamation with any se lion of the community to oppose* a: other section. Speaking from a ttmperan standpoint, he would say thau they wou have to be very careful what they <lid that respect. They had sympathisers all sections of the community. They fhou consider whether or not they were going make the Prohibition movement a. de berate political party on one side of I House. Mr Isitt was, opposed to that ids and they should carefully weigh that- ge tleman's views. The speaker was espre: iiio- those opinions in order that it woi not. be said that he had agreed to any «v gestionis'.that made without giving it d consideration. He would like to think t matter over.