THE LABOUR PARTY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15717, 9 September 1911, Page 9

THE LABOUR PARTY.

ADDRESS .BY PROFESSOR MILLS. Professor W. T. Mills addressed a largo gathering of the employees of the Addington railway workshops in the lunch hour yesterday. Air F. Aleyer presided. Professor Mills said that the most serious question in connection with the workers of to-day was that of oiganisation. The reason why organisation was necessary was to combine the various groups or workers into one largo body. There were 60,000 workers in New Zealand who belonged to Labour organisations of some sort or other, but in most cases they were in groups, having nothing in common. Thero were 10,000 in the dominion organisation of workers; 30,000 in Trades and Labour Councils, audi 30,000 who belonged to various industrial organisations, but who had nothing in common with tho various other groups of workers. He proceeded to explain the advantages to be obtained from a union of all transport workers, stating that he wanted to see tho work- . ers so organised that instead of the Government being able to threaten them, they could dictate to the Government. There would be trouble somo day between the Tramway Board and its employees, lie said, and he wanted tho tramway employees to feel that ; when the trouble should come, they . would have the support of the railway • employees, and he wanted tho railway employees to feel that they would have tho support of the tramway men. That was the idea of the organisation of ; the workers—to make all the Various . brandies of Labour have a common interest. Ho was confident that if tho workers organised, in a few months | they would number 200,000, and could rule New Zealand, so that instead of having to petition the Government, the Government would have to petition them. At the conclusion of his address Professor Mills was heartily cheered. Last evening Professor Mills addressed a largely-attended meeting in the ! King’s Theatre on “ Why a Labour " Party in Now Zealand.” Air D. G. ; Sullivan presided, and in introducing the speaker stated that Professor Mills i had been conducting an energetic “unity” campaign in the dominion r with great success. Professor Alills dealt extensively with ] the relations of Labour with political < parties in the past, and then proceeded to liken Labour to an intricate machine packed in sections _in cases. While it was in the cases it was simply “ old junk,” hut when tho sections were fit- 1 ted 1 up they had a powerful machine, j Organisation was necessary if the working man was to be successful. Labour ] was often told not to interfere in politics, but they should remember that 1 they were shareholders in a big company, and a shareholders’ meeting j would take place in November. The resignation of the Hon G. Fowlds was I a grave significance of the necessity of . a new party that would give tho great democracy wliat it wanted. Ho con- j eluded with an appeal to the workers of tho dominion to “quit” wrangling I and form a national organisation. Ho then answered a number of ques- y tions, and tho meeting concluded with an expression of thanks to the speaker. C