FOES OF THE SQUATTERS AND FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 8

FOES OF THE SQUATTERS AN D FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE

THE HON. JAMES ALLEN 13 Mb | POINTED TO HAVE bAID THAT I PAINS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO | ’JAKE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUV j TRY, PART 1C UI. ART A” THOSE Ob ! THE LABORIN'(I CLASS, BE LI FA E | THAT THE MEMBERS OP THE PARTY NOW IN POWER WERE | NOT THEIR REAL FRIENDS. IP i THE HOVERNMENT REMAINED IN , OFFICE FOR ONLY TWF.LVB MONTHS THE PEOPLE WORLD KIND THAT ITS MEMBERS M ERE MORE TRULY THEIR FRIENDS THAN SOME WHOSE PROFESSIONS IN THE PAST HAD BEEN LOUT)EST '• THE HON. K. H. RHODES. SPEAKING IN A SIMILAR WAY. IS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT HIS PARTY WISHED TO REMAIN IN OFFICE. "IF ONLY FOB A YEAR. TO SHOW THAT THEY WERE NOT IN SYMPATHY WITH THE SQUATTER. HUT WITH TUB MASS OF THE PEOPLE.”

Evidence seems to be coming from every quarter that the mass of the people are at last to have their innings.’ A good deal of pains has been taken and a great deal of lalior performed with a view to organising a political party which should stand directly in*the interests of those whose dominant interest- in society is found in tho services they render unto others, and in tho services they receive from others. , ' • • • • For twenty years the working people have been told, -and large numbers of them have sincerely believed, that the party recently in power existed for.no other reason than,to demon* strato their friendship particularly to *■ those belonging to the laboring classes.” » • • 9 9 But for some reason or other tho new friends of the laboring classes and the old friends of the laboring classes have not been able to persuado the workers themselves that it is safe any longer to trust tho interests of labor in tho hands of these friends of labor. Instead, tho men who have been doing tbe work have commenced to do the organising of their own power as citizens in order that they may use it in

their own behalf. During the last twenty years the party which during tliat time has been in opposition, am. .W Allen, who has all along been Us spokesman, have had innumerable opportunities to demonstrate their friendsnip for labor, but with tins long record in public service the demonstration by any services actually rendered lias been so inelfcctive that the workers are still left for proof of this friendship to what Mr Allen is saying now rather than to what he has Been doing during all those years. lint Mr Bbodes is leaving ns altogether in tiie dark, i 1 is party is not ui sympathy with the squatters. What will* the owners'of “The Dominion’' think of that? Will “The Dominion” become the advocate of the I'nitcd Labor Party? The United Labor Party declares distinctly that it has no quarrel with the .squatters as men, no complaint with their career in the past, it does not even wish to take revenge or secure remuneration for tho evil results of tho had institutions of other days. But hero is a political party which has been financed by the squatters, has had tho support of tho squatters, has been understood to belong to the squatters, but is now known on the public statement of its spokesman that it is not at all in sympathy with the squatters. • « • * • Mr Rhodes should read Air Massey's recent speeches on tho breaking of pledges. Tho United Labor Party •stands up for the squatter. Ho should bo defended against imposition, ho should bo dealt with squarely. He must ho made to deal squarely with the rest of us. Is the United Labor Party Ids only defender? If Air Rhodes is going to forsake tho squatter and he can persuade the squatters to really think so, ho should resign at once and give tho squatters a chance at him at tho ballot-box.