POLITICS IN QUEENSLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13114, 1 March 1906, Page 6

POLITICS IN QUEENSLAND.

-THE LABOUR PARTY.

STATEMENT BY A. MINISTER.

fBY TELEGRAPH.—O'*'S CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Wednesday. One of the passengers arriving by tho Wimmem this morning was. the Hon. Joshua Bell, the Queensland Minister for Lands. Mr. Bel! to a comparatively young man, is a member of a credit squatting family, and is quite unlike "hit one would expect for the Lands Minister in a Labour Government. Mr. Bell says Queensland shows Mime extraordinarily close resemblances to 60BK of the aspects of New Zealand politics. The (Jiivornment contains two labour men. one being the Premier. the Hon. \V. Kiaston. and it holds power by virtue of the -support of the labour party and a number of Liberals who will not go "the whole, hog" with the advocates o! ••socialism in our time." but, who endorse all tlicir democrat if. aims. It has been in office since September. 1903. Mr. Kid-ton's predecessor being Mr. Morgan, ''''ho succeeded the late Sir Hugh Nelson in the Legislative Council. The Opposition, which Mr. Bell magnanimously described as "the more cautious element." is insignificant in numbers. Ihe politic*! situation is the familiar Australian " triangle," inasmuch as the Government owes its existence to a combination of the LslK.ur and Liberal parties. It appears that :beie is a section of Labour which is unsympathetic towards the Government, and " the worker and come c>t the labour unions are hostile, vi the Government may be. said to command the confidence of the labour element, ami of the country. " Queensland will not stand ' socialism in our time.' " said Mr. Bell. " Nobody who has spent three Years in Parliament expects it. lor Parliament is a ureal-educator, and it. is there that labour men leant what is possible and what is impossible »'■ legislation. N'ine-ienths of the Labour immbeis give the Government a whole support." Mr. Beil mentioned that New Zealand .s looked upon by tne democratic pari of Queensland as an example of proj>»r political progress-, and it appears that just as our local Socialist party speaks disgustedly of "palliative measures. ' there is a corresponding action in Queensland which looks askance at Mr. Seddon aud regards him as a backslider.