THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14503, 15 October 1907, Page 7

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

AN INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY. FUTURE PROSPECTS. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, October 14. The present political position from one point of view was put before a “Post” representative to-day by on© of that section of the House of Representatives which professes Radical views, and who voiced the opinions of those who agree with y him on political subjects. The conversation arose out pi recent suggestions that have been made of the possibility of a coalition being arrived at between Sir Joseph Ward and the Opposition,- ’ _ “There is not tho slightest possibility of any such event happening,” was the member’s remark on this subject. “ Apart from the fact that the present Government is admittedly a strong,one, and able successfully to carry on, any such coalition would certainly have the effect of alienating a iargo section of the Government followers, who _ are strongly opposed to the political views of Mr Massey, and who desire a policy of progress to be continued. I do not think you would have a policy of progress with Mr Massey, because you would lose the support of that Radical section o,f the House which, at present, acts as a stimulating or driving force in connection with advanced Liberal legislation. This session particularly; Sir Joseph Ward has rapidly risen in public favour by reason of the prudent course he has steered, and I regard this desire for the Opposition to coalesce with the Government as arising from a recognition of Sir Joseph’s moderate but, withal, progressive tendencies, and from tho very potent fact that he has a strong hold of the House and the country; further, that .■ feeling of personal opposition which has actuated sections in the past against the head of the Government is wanting in the case of the present Premier.” “To speak frankly,” continued tho member, “ I rega'rd the suggestion of a coalition as * a device on the part of the Opposition to stimulate tho format tion of an Independent Labour Party, with a view to splitting the Liberal vote at tho next election, arid thus letting in a number of Opposition candidates. Tho Independent Labour Party will no doubt use the suggestion (at least the Opposition hope so) as a peg upon which to hang tho assertion, that the Ward Government is not so pronouncedly Liberal as is made out, and that there is not a very marked lino of demarcation between the - Government and the Opposition, hence tho necessity for ia new progressive force in New Zealand politics.

“ As to the necessity of a new Labour party, I am satisfied that it would be im act of great folly for the workers to bring into existence an Independent Labour party which, should it secure the election of a number of members, would establish in New Zealand that undesirable state of things, three separate parties, which they have in the Commonwealth Zealand at present, wo have eighty electorates, of which you may put down sixty-five as being country electorates, leaving the remaining fifteen, if. they thought fit, to return Labour representatives, which I very much doubt if they would. It must be remembered, too, that the aims and ideals of such a party are far too advanced at the present time to gain legislative effect. “ As it io, there are about eighteen Radical members in the House whose views are in advance of public opinion, as evidenced by the paucity of their numbers and the heavy defeat that their proposals meet with at the hands of the members in the House. These Radical members undoubtedly represent Labour, their votes being on every occasion cast in favour of any measures that make for the betterment of the wage-earning classes. Under present conditions, we are securing legislation in the interests of labour, and wo are doing this with the aid of a number of Liberal country members. If you establish an Independent Labour party, you at once alienate that sympathetic support which we arc now receiving from country members. “ The attempt to raise the cry of Socialism v. anti-Socialism is easily seen through. It is made with no other object than that of checking the progressive movement that has been going on for the last sixteen or seventeen years. No doubt this cry will he raised loudly at the nest election. With the lands, tariff and liquor questions out of the way, I think that the programme for the future will be in the direction of further extending the State functions, and of giving effect to that policy winch wo have urged in the past—Socialism with sense,’’