The Labour Party Stands For

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 299, 22 November 1922, Page 10

The Labour Party Stands For

PBOPOBTIOKAL BEPBESEKXAMON* 'wi_icvn, means representation in Parliament according to the voting atren&th. of each Party. •IHE imTIATIVE: This is » sy*item Whereby a percentage of the people may initiate legislation and demand tbat certain questions shall be submitted to a Referendum. THE BEFEBENBUM: Means that any important matters affecting the whole of the people shall be submitted to the people for decision. ■JHE BECALL: Provides for the recall of any member ot Fj-_cliament who violates bis pledges. THE ABOLITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: A system by which- men who have been rejected by the electors, but are placed in a position to veto any progressive legis Jation, should be abolished. The Labour Party would make the elected House of Representatives the deciding authority. BEMOVAL OP THE POLITICAL DISABILITIES OF WOMEN. The mother is the most important being. to .the Universe. N.Z. laws say that •women are fit to be elected to the House of Representatives, but are not •fit to sit in the Legislative Council, or in the Judiciary. The Labour Parry will give equal freedom to both sexes. FULL CITIL BIGHTS TO STATE EMPLOYEES: The system by whicn members of the Government Service must first resign their position before taking part in public affairs, makes for two classes of society. One, privileged to Govern, the other, privileged to Work. The Labour Party wUI give equal rights to the Civil Servant and the private employee. COMPULSORY STATE ENROLMENT OF VOTERS: If Government by the people is to become effective, it is essential that all eligible persons shall be on the Rolls. The State Department should be responsible for the enrolment of all voters. All elections for public administrative bodies *o bo on the sjame baste as the Parliaments ary Frmehise. All persons over the age of 21 years, being British, either by birth or naturalisation, and having lived in the Dominion for one year, are entitled to vote at Parliamentary Elections. The House of Representatives is the highest governing body in the Dominion, and an elector entitled lo vote to decide who shall make the laws Should be eligible to vote on all other questions. THE LAND: Recognising the land as one of the essentials to life, the Labour Party, says that every individual in the community is vitally Interested in its control. The first work undertaken by the Labour Party on its accession to the Government Benches will be to make a valuation of all privately-own-ed land. This valuation will remain ©n record las the measure of the present landholder's interest In the land. After the valuation, no land Will be sold except to' the State. The bolder will have the right to surrender his land to the State at the Valuation previously mentioned. The occupier of the land will have absolute right to all improvements made after the valuation. On sale to the State Land Transfer Department the landholder would receive the full amount of the valuation. The occupier would receive the talue of his improvements, and automatically the values created by the community would come to the coni--ftunity. ABOLISHING THE BACK BLOCES* Instead of the present policy of sending men and women into the roadless Itftckblocks of the Dominion, Hie Labour Party would have the land cleared and prepared for productive •see by bodies of men and -women located in small settlements connect«d with the towns and cities by good voads or railways. FUfANCING THE FARMER: With a Bank owned and controlled by the Btate, the Labour Par,ty would ensure j-njat all men desirous of using the land for productive purposes would ftave all the capital and credit retuired at their disposal; Recognising the value of co-opera-|ion for producing and marketing * j-urposes, the Labour Party will pavat every facility to the users of •Hie Land, that will enable them to more efficiently bring the products of {ha coil to tbe people who require •them. The necessity of ensuring that the toed supplies of the people should not be at any time jeopardised ts provided fftr under the right given to m_u_i«algties, If desired, to own their own Jarms and provide their own milk

supplies S_ad other requirements as desired. T_ie Labour Party will not interfere in any way whatsoever With the or his family's, occupancy of the land, provided the land is kept in productive use. STATE OWNERSHIP: Credit has become the primary factor for production. The production, distribution, wages, imports, and exports of the Dominion are determined by a group of sb: Banking ins titutions. The instructions for the running of these Banks are drafted in London. fJPom 1895 (when the Bank of New Zealand was in grave difficulties) until 1920, the Bank of New Zealand has made profits equalling £8,126,775. The whole of this money was made out of the people of the Dominion. This sum was made after all expenses of running the Bank, Directors Fees, etc., had been met. The Bank was; paid for all its seivices, and then on top of this payment they took £8,126,775 from the people, £1,986,118 of which was taken during the MVAL. Years. The notes issued by the Bank increased from £989,832 in 1914 to £5,765,338 in 1920. The note issue Is guaranteed by the Government of New Zealand, insofar as the notes are legal tender. As against this we have the Commonwealth Bank of Australia wh'ch since its inception has made profits equalling £4,379,606 and in addition has raised all the necessary credit for Australia in connection with the War. The Labour Party will immediately establish a State Bank with the sole right of Note Issue.., SHIPPING: The necessity of bringing the producer and consumer closer together is provided for by the establishment of a State-owned Shipping Service. INSURANCE: All Branches of Insurance should be conducted and owned by the State. The enormous tax on industry that is at present levied by the Privately owned Insurance Corporations should not be allowed to continue. One Insurance Company has paid a dividend equalling 971 per cent, on Jfts original paid-up capital. The payments under the Workmen's Compensation Act equal £1 only out of every £2/4/5 collected. The Insurance business of the Dominion could be conducted more efficiently and at half the cost if the State controlled all policies. STATE COAL MINES: The coal bearing lands of the Dominion are tho heritage of all the people of the people of the Dominion, and the Labour Party will conserve all new coalfields for State Development— provide . homes for tho miners—give the employees a voice in the methods of production and to ensure economical distribution, will bring the coal from the mine to the bcilerhouse — the gas wOrks_ and fireside, without any intermediate agencies. NATIONAL MEDICAL SERVICE: The economy ensured in preserving the health of the community would be best obtained by making the medical fraternity responsible for th*e prevention of disease, and also when sickness, accident or dteqase overtake any individual, the first principle should be to restore them to health. Tho provision of medical skill and nursing should not be dependent on the wealth of the individual. The Labour Party provides for Nationalisation of the Medical Service and free Medical 'attention. STATE HOUSING DEPARTMENT: The problem of providing houses for the people can only be solved by the State planning out Garden Cities---providing means of communication between the cities and Industrial areas—and erecting houses In large -.umbers at the earliest possible moment. The type Of Home which the worker Is entitled to should not be dependent on tho amount of profit demanded by private monopolists. The Labour Party provides for tho solution of the Housing Problem on the lines mentioned above. EDUCATION: Education will save the world. The care of the child *n its school years will determine the future of tho world. The faculties.of every child should bo developed to the fullest extent. The understanding of the child mind is of supreme importahco to us all, and those responsible (the teachers) sheuld be well paid for their services. All the necessary books should be at the disposal of every child, irrespective of the state of the parents purse. The value and necessity of peace— and the co-operation between tho nations—should tjake the place of military instruction. The Labour Party will provide for the equipment of all schools wltl.

proper appliances for physical culture, and the appointment of duly qualified instructors to train the children. Economic and industrial history should be an essential feature of the curriculm, and the Universal Lah,guage—Esperanto—should , be taught to all children. TAXATION! The Iniquity of Indirect taxation whereby parents of large families are penalised through Customs Duties should be laboliisbed, and the Labour Party would provide for the reduction of indirect taxation, and -would substitute a graduating income tax. PENSIONS: Widows—lnvalids—the Blind and the Aged should all obtain pensions based on the cost of maintaining a living in accord with the prevailing standard. ENDOWMENT OF MOTHEBHOOD: If the future of the Dominion is dependent on the Education of the child, it is In a like manner dependent on the care of the mother in the prer natal days. Financial worries should be as far as possible removed from the mother whilst she is rendering the highest possible service to the human race. The Labour Party will provide payments to mothers for each child born, and will guarantee the best of medical attention during \he critical period. PRISONS: The first principle of criminal offenders should be the cure of the criminal, and the Labour Party will institute a new system of prison treatment to this end. THE BIGHT •TO WORK OR MAINTENANCE. The principle that all perscr.s willing to apply their physical or mental powers productivelye shall have .-the right to do so, cannot be challenged. Failing the provision of work, the State should be responsible for maintenance payments sufficient to ensure the current standard of living. FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK: It is now accepted by the ablest business psychologists that the average man or woman can render most efficient service when assured a reasonable amount of leisure. It has been estimated by scientists that all the necessary things of life can be produced by an average daily labour of four hours. EQUALITY BETWEEN THE SEXES: The policy of the equality of the sexes in all branches of life cannot be contested, and where the work done by men or women is of equal value, then the pay should be equal. WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION: The man or woman who is incapacitated through following their ordinary employment should not be doubly penalised by suffering injury and Joss of the necessaries of life. The Labour Party will provide for the best of medical attention and payment of wages In full during the period of incapacitation. DEFENCE: The menace to New Zealand contained in tbe provisions of the War Regulations Act and amendments, which interfere in a drastic manner with the liberties of the people should be removed at onee —and tbe Platform provides for the Repeal of the Act. INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND FRATERNITY: Capitalism has led to wars in the past, and unless superseded will lead to another holocaust within a decade. The only safeguard is a proper understanding between the workers of all countries, and the formation of a League of Peoples on a democratic basis, for the purpose of adjusting any differences that may arise. NO MORE WAR: Whilst any one country or number of countries claim the right to exploit by private capitalism or otherwise the people or resources of any other country, then War ls inevitable. The Labour Party believes In Freedom of Choice for all people. The Congo Rubber Scandal —the Jute Factories* In India—the Exploitation of tho Natives in Africa —are all living examples of the miseries inflicted on the so-called hackward people by the agents of the Imperialist and Capitalist Organisations, of the White Race, A volume of hatred is being stored up that will some day break loose and overwhelm the present civilised world. The Labour Party will use all its power to bring good conditions to the backward peoples, so that in the end all may live at peace with each other. "Is tn: Freedom but to break Fett?** '<i" our own dear, sake, Ar.d, .. i.h leathern hearts, forget That we owe mankind a debt? No! True Freedom is to share All the chains our brothers wear And, with heart and hand, to be Earnest to make others free,'-'