DISRUPTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8480, 15 July 1913, Page 4

DISRUPTION

RATHER THAN UNITY THE RECENT LABOUR CONFERENCE.

A meeting of the Wellington main branch of the United Labour Party was hold at tho Trades Hall last veiling for the purpose of considering the report of the delegates to the recent Unity Conference. Mr D. .McLaren presided. The delegates (Messrs W. EL Hampton, L. M. A. Rearden, and D. McLaren) presented reports on the proceedings both at the Unity Congress and the United Labour Party conference. The attitude taken up by tho delegates was endorsed, and their reports were adopted. The following resolution was carried unanimously:—-“That this, the .Wcl lington main branch, resolves to remain attached to tho United Labour Party, and to uphold its continued existence, and that no person be admitted or allowed to remain a member of tho branch who does not agreo with these views; and that a copy of this resolution ho forwarded to the provincial executives of tho party.” The points emphasised by the branch delegates (Messrs L. M. A. Rearden and \V. H. Hampton) were that tho Unity Congress was manipulated by the Federation of Labour, assisted by a few men who wore renegades from the principles of tho United Labour Party’s constitution and policy; that the closure was applied constantly to prevent fair discussion; that tho official reporting of conference proceedings was garbled and one-sided, and that this was due to the unity committee having appointed reporters who manipulated the report so as to present only one side of tho position; that the congress had decided on a policy of industrial unionism clouded with much vague language/ but sufficiently clear to show that the strike weapon was to be used, .local, general, and national, under the control of executive authority without the right of self-government being exercised by the unions affected. This policy of industrial unionism with its ultimate purpose of taking property by force, was regarded as being so much opposed to the principles of tho United Labour Party that the' delegates had opposed it. right throughout, and they considered that any political action based upon the policy of direct action and revolutionary purpose was simply a sham and a misleading of the ■ workers in regard to their true interests. It was emphasised that the industrial constitution adopted would destroy distinct trades federations, trades and labour councils, and tho rights ’of the members of all unions, and was therefore rather a policy of disruption than one of unity. Therefore tho delegates concluded that it was wise to do as the meeting of the United Labour Party had done last Thursday, and resolved to continue as a distinct party on constitutional lines •to uphold trades unionism in the field of industry, and definite, responsible constitutional action in the field of politics.