LABOUR SQUARE DEAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8784, 14 July 1914, Page 6

LABOUR SQUARE DEAL

Nothing was more definite in the Ministerial programme at the outset of the “Reform” Administration .than tho offer by‘the Prime Minister of a < ‘square—deal 1 ’ to Labour. The Prime Minister followed this up by taking tho portfolio of Labour into his .strong, promissory hands. In . duo* course he encountered a Labour deputation, asking for l an amendment of the law which had recently been declared .as preventing unions using their own money in any way that seemed best to them. The Supremo Court had decided that they could not use their money for political purposes, in the ordinary democratic way, by majority rule. As they bad done so for years, and as they considered it right that the practice should go on, they asked for a change in the law to that effect. Mr Massey was sympathetic, but he felt that ho would have to consider the rights of tho minority. But a few dajW later he told the School Defence deputation that ho did not consider -the minority had any rights at all. A substantial number of people bad asked for the right to rule in the matter, and lie thought they wore entitled to it. Now, these two answers are diametrically opposed to one' another. If the Premier is sincere in his explanation of Saturday to the Defence people, then his reply to tho Labour deputation was not sincere. In that case, what becomes of the “square deal’’P It is lost between two faces of Mr Ma-ssey, one. turned - towards Labour and the other towards tho Bible.. It is a wonderful equipment for a politician. But it cannot carry any one tar in the direction of statesmanship.