THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners' Advocate. FRIDAY, 29th MAY, 1914. THE THIRD PARTY

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 25, Issue 41, 29 May 1914, Page 4

THE PELORUS GUARDIAN and Miners' Advocate. FRIDAY, 29th MAY, 1914. THE THIRD PARTY

The position of the Labour party as a political body is not an easy one to : define. It is undoubtedly the desire* of Labour to place a third party in the political arena and contest the General Elections in December as a party. ‘ It is also apparent that the advent of this third party is impossible at the present time, and even the Labour papers are admitting this, and also the fact that they are lacking a leader with the necessary ability and resource to “ drive the Labour party like a wedge between Wardism and Masseyism, overthrowing both.” The Labour paper “ Reason,” published in Auckland, recently unburdened itself of the following; “ At the coming elections, with the single ballot system in operation and both the Liberal and Massey parties struggling for life and prepared to use any stratagem, it is impossible at this distance to forecast what party shall win. The Masseyites confidently hope that the bourgeoisie will vote en bloc for them in appreciation of the “ strong man ” attitude of the Government in the recent industrial troubles, and the Liberals hope that attitude- will cause a reversion of feeling in favour of Liberalism. The Massey party can count on the farmers’ support, and the real tussle must come in the city heats. One thing seems certain, however, and that is

if the Massey Government creeps back to office with a small majority (and it may not even do that) there will be a coalition with the Ward forces, and a coalition Government formed to face a higgledy-piggedly opposition. And when it is done the working class will be no better off. It will have been fooled once more, that is all. It would make a donkey laugh to see how readily the working class allows itself to be humbugged and led by its silly perjudices, hatreds and spites.” Until Labour is strong enough to stand alone it will continue to be courted by the two greater parties that are fighting for supremacy, and the one that Labour pledges to support should certainly be expected to win the majority of seats next December. The Opposition are alleged to be offering aid to Labourites in many ways, while the Government are contented to stand by their “ strike” policy of last November. The Labour vote will therefore be the all-important one in the coming party contest.