THE LABOUR PARTY’S RAILWAY POLICY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2734, 17 May 1924, Page 4

THE LABOUR PARTY’S RAILWAY POLICY.

WIIAT MR. HOLLAND, M.P. ADVOCATES. (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League). In discussing thei Railway dispute at a meeting in Wellington on Sunday, May 4th., Mr H. E. Holland, leader of the N.Z. Socialist Labour Party, set forth what would be his party’s policy in dealing with this State service. It is well to have a plain statement of what this party aims at so that the people may know how far they can trust it. Here is Mr Holland’s statement: “For the greater efficiency of the ‘railway system as well as for the betterment of the workers’ wages and conditions, the Labour Party in power would set up a Board of Management, which would be composed of men with practical experience and expert knowledge, and to which the organised railway employees would elect their own representatives. But to make this system operative, it was imperative that the Labour Government should be in a position to deal with one railway organisation instead of threei or more.” As an addition here is what the Party’s platform states: —“Where national ownership of an industry is effected, all labour for such industry and at least half the Board of Control in each case shall be appointed by the union or unions affected.” VERY PLAINLY STATED.

There can be no room for doubt as to what is here meant. The party proposes that the railway men shall combine in one union and that this combination of State servants shall appoint at least half of the members of a Board of Management to have control of the railway service under a Labour Government. This plainly means that the Government will delegate its power of management to an organisation of its own employees and by, the words “at least half” it is contemplated that the power of the Railway Association shall not be less than that of the Government of the Dominion. WHAT THIS POLICY MEANS.

As a great number of electors have hitherto supported this party on the assumption that all it is seeking is a square deal for the wageearners of the country, it would be well that these sympathisers should ask “where does this policy lead?” In the first instance, to take the power of appointing out of the hands of the constitutionally elected Government, is to greatly weaken its authority and lessen its responsibility. To give the State employees direct power in the management, in addition to the power which they exercise as Parliamentary electors, is virtually to give them two votes to every other citizen’s one, and thereby practically make them masters of the service in which they are employed. If the same principle was applied to all State services (as the Labour Party proposed) then the civil servants of New Zealand, endowed with the Special privilege contemplated, would become very largely the rulers of the country. This class dominance, coupled as it would be with a class-constituted political party, would inevitably establish a dictatorship that could only be curbed by serious conflict and probable general upheaval. The destruction of the democratic basis of our country's constitution is what this state syndicalist policy really means. It aims at destroying the power of constituted government, at (he conferring of special •class power and it extends (lie bribe of special advantage to all the State’s employ in return for the political support which is to give effect to this extreme programme.

The situation is a uiosl grave one liecau.se there are so many who are liliiul to what is taking' place. There is unrest, throughout several public departments and whilst 'some of it may he due to legitimate grievances or to the difficulties which are common to the whole community,' we are convinced that the great - ej part of the •discontentment is due to the perpetual political agitation being carried on within the services. The idea is being' assiduously instilled into the minds of those in the public employ that they should control the service and that all in authority above them are their enemies. This is what the policy means in its embryo stage and unless the people of New Zealand take slops to curl) the power of the Socialist agitators who are creating this mischief there is still more serious trouble ahead of us.