THE PARLIAMENTARY LABOUR PARTY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22822, 5 March 1936, Page 17

THE PARLIAMENTARY LABOUR PARTY

TO THE EDITOR

fsm, —Believing that marked inconsistency exists in tin; personnel of the present Parliamentary Labour Party, I suggest that some at least of the 55 members are actually business men. capitalists, employers of labour, while others are in such comfortable financial circumstances •is to have little in common with the'rank nud (ilc wage-earners whose votes mainly nut them into office. With delightfully engaging candour they fold us before the election that they represented all classes in the country. After being returned one Labour M.P. said the party’s objective was still Socialism, whatever that means. If so, wiiv not calldt the Socialist Party? If not. then why claim Socialism as Us main objective? From a worker’s point of view I consider that no person who is not himself a bona fide wage-earner should he eligible for membership ip the Labour Party, otherwise all the Tories in the place can join no and miietly undermine the party from the top by peaceful penetration. Perhaps that is what is now happening. Before the election it was stated i n tlie press that a certain rich man in (lie North Island was willing to pay C 30.000 to put the then Government out of office. One wonders whether the gentleman (or anv of his ilk) supported the Labour Party, and, if so. to what: financial extent? Who paid for Labour’s election campaign?—l am. etc.. Citizen.