UNITED LABOUR PARTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15705, 6 March 1913, Page 4

UNITED LABOUR PARTY.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, THE PLATFORM. A meeting of special workers in connection with the provisional district council of Hie United Labour party was held on Tuesday night, in the Trades Hall, when there was a large attendance and great enthusiasm was displayed. The special workers arc at present distributing requisitions agreement cards containing certain proposals iu> regards the forthcoming municipal and Harbour Board elections. These card;, the electors arc asked to sign, and return to the secretary of the District Labour Council. The agreement asks tlio electors to declare their approval of the municipal platform of the United Labour party, as set out, and i.ot to join in t'.ie nomination or irivo support to any candidates except those nominated bv Ihe t district council. All the candidates nominated are to bo memliers'of the Labour party, either through a trades union or ether affiliated body. Should the number of signatures,_ however, not be sufficient to. justify fighting the election the partv does not intend to give official support to any candidate. "Pile constitution provided in the agreement reads :— General Municipal Platform: Perfect sanitary systems and improved moral surroundings in all residential areas, extension of town trading, no tramway. or other public service concessions to privato companies, municipal works, and the city a model employer. Local Platform: All community enterprises to he conducted and controlled by the municipality. Strict cconomy of administration in creating new municipal enterprises. Retention and improvement of all public reserves, and prevention of the alienation of, or encroachment on, anv land the property of the municipality. All new areas of land to bo sub-divided and laid out on modem town-planning lines, to prevent the creatiou of slums and insanitary conditions. Tlio crection, where necessary, of up-to-dato dwellings for t'.io people, and the clearing of slum areas and unhealthy houses. Assessment of all rates on the unimproved valuo of land, with special provision for increment land taxation for civic purposes, giving to the peoplo some tangible portion of the collectively created values. Establishment of municipal labour agencies, and advertising of all vacancies in municipal employment, and t'.io filling of places from open competition only. The municipality to be the model employer. The day labour system. wherever practicable, in the carrying out of'corporation works, the strict observance of fair- standards of employment throughout—a minimum wage of Is 3d per hour with <i maximum of 44 hours a week, and a fortnight's holiday on full pay per annum for all permanently employed labour. 'I'.ie immediate establishment of a municipal fish supply and delivery. Unification of the minor civic bodies, and the election of the representatives to all existing boards by direct vote of the people."

• At the conclusion of the above business the question of the distribution of literature in connection with the United Labour Congress, to be held in July next, at Wellington, was discussed, and it was decided to make arrangements to 6end out literature. Other matters having for their object the pushing forward of the local branch of tho Labour party were also dealt with.

It was further decided that steps be taken to enroll as many of tho large body of elector.! as possible whose names do not now appear on the local rolls.