THE LIBERAL-LABOUR SPLIT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 9

THE LIBERAL-LABOUR SPLIT.

FAILURE T 6 HEAL THE BREACH. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 11. Sir Joseph Ward and several members of the new Ministry attended a social fiven in honour of the Labour delegates ere last night, and in view of the present positon of polities the proceedings have a more than usually important aspect. The first point of interest to be noted is that Sir Joseph Ward, in connection with the toa*t of " Parliament,'* took precedence of the members of the Cabinet present. Another point of interest was that, while Sir Joseph Ward expressed the opinion that another election would not be necessary, the Hon. Roderick M'Kenzie, late Minister of Public Works, expressed an exactly contrary opinion. Then after the Ministerial speechifying had proceeded for some time, Mr Hindmarsh, the Labour member for Wellington South, made a somewhat dramatic exit from the meeting. Just after Mr Hanan's speech he rose and said :—"Mr Chairman, I refused to attend a Liberal caucus the other day, so I hope you will allow me to withdraw from the meeting." Mr Hindmarsh then left. .

The Ministerial delegation held out the olive branch to Labour, but Professor Mills, the Labour organiser from America, dashed its hopes to the ground by a repudiation of the Labour-Liberal party. He said he wanted it distinctly understood that there was now no such party. He believed that the Liberal leaders had done the best they could, but the to be undertaken in New Zealand was a political reorganisation. The Unity Conference was not an effort to unite the Labour party with the Liberal party. His remarks were received with loua applause.

The Labour party, having slept over the matter to-day, emphasied its repudiation of the Liberal Ministerialists in no uncertain terms. At the New Zealand Labour party's conference to-day some very pointed references were made to the social held last night, and the arrangements in connection therewith. Professor Mills moved :—" That this conference sincerely regrets the occurrence of last night, and the unfortunate position into which the delegates were unwillingly placed, and suggests a joint resolution of both bodies on the re-assembly of the Unity Conference." Mr J. A. M'Cullough said it would be well for the Labour party to deal with the question now In the way proposed. Professor Mills said the question of the invitation to the " social " and the drawing up of the toast list would be come up for discussion at the Unity Conference. The resolution he had movec 1 simply affirmed the dissent of the Labour party in reference to "the points he had indicated.

The Chairman (Mr W. H. Hampton) was in full accord with the terms of the motion, and he thought it would be wise if the conference adopted it. The attitude of the United Labour paa-ty of New Zealand to other bodies should go forth in unmistakable terms, and their relationship to all other Labour parties should be made clear. With reference to the " social " last night, he might say that he ws« not on the committee which was organised for the arrangement of the programme. He had always stood for'an independent attitude on the part of Labour. He had sometimes got into hot water in consequence, but he would never depart from the attitude he had always taken up, He had affirmed, and would continue to affirm, that the line of action of the party in the political field must be absolutely free, independent, aind . untram-, melled by any obligation, whether verbal or written, with any of the political parties in the Dominion. M<r D. M'Laren said that so far as the Labour partv was cono«roed it was absolutely clear of sending out the invitations to the "social." They had right through agreed that the New Zealand Labour party should be absolutely and entirely apart from any other party. Professor Mills said the arrangements nt the " social " last night had placed him in a false position. The motion .was agreed to.

WELLINGTON, April 11. The Hons. G. Laurenson, J. ,A. Hanan, H. G. Ell, W. D. S. MacDonald, R. M'Kenzie, and Sir Joseph Ward were present. , Mr M'Kenzie predicted that if the Labour party went about their work systematically they would have control of Parliament within the next 40 (?) years. He believed they would have another election before September. Mr Hanan eaid the people of this country would have to be up and doing if they were to keep pa<* with other countries. Education must be free from primary school to university. Responding to the toast of " The Press," Professor Mills stilted that by the unity proposals they had brought 60.000 unionists together, and there were 15,000 more workers they were going to bring into the United labour party, and then they could send to Parliament a party who would do what they wanted.