THE LABOUR MEMBERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3097, 23 July 1913, Page 38

THE LABOUR MEMBERS.

EFFECT OF UNITY CONFERENCE. (From Oce Own* Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 14. The Unity Congress and the events which have followed it do not seem to have materially affected the attitudes of the various Labour men in Parliament. Mr W. A. Veitch, who was questioned on the subject to-day, stated that tho congress had not altered his position in any way. Ho had been a member of tho United Labour party since its inception, and still adhered to that organisation. Mi Veitch, however, lias not signed tho Labour party pledge, and stated that lie hud no intention of doing so. “ Holding tho views I do in regard to strikes,” ho added, ‘‘ I cannot associate myself with the new movement.” Mr Veitch does not hide his opinion that tho Unity Congrea* was a complete failure. “ Its only result, so far as I can see,” ho remarked, “ has been to transfer Mr W. T. Mills from the United Labour party to tho Federation of Labour, and \1 don’t regret tho transfer.” Mr A. Robertson, the Labour member for Otaki, takes a somewhat different position. On being questioned, ho stated that ho would probably bo a freelance in the hope that a later attempt to arrive at Labour unity might prove more successful than tho abortive conference which has just concluded. Mr A. IT. Hindmarsh is a pledged member of the Unity Labour party, and Mr J. Payne is an adherent of tho Federation of Labour.