Political Gossip

Southland Times, Issue 19655, 5 September 1905, Page 2

Political Gossip

THE INDEPENDENT POLITICAL LABOUR LEAGUE. By Telegraph. From Our Special .Reporter. WELLINGTON, Sept. 4. Interviewed concerning the Independent Political Labour League the Hon John Rigg said the League did not so much look for success at the approaching election as it looked to the future. It had been but a short time in existence;' its real active organisation might lie said to date from the beginning of this year, and therefore it was somewhat imperfect but it would suit them to run candidates for the purpose of getting experience and for getting publicity as to the platform and objects of the League, while at the same time it would help the League in some districts (at any rate they hoped so) to reject some of the present members wlio have shown themselves hostile to labour legislation and to the interests of the workers. “ One thing must not be lost sight of,” he added, the inflifcnee the League will exercise outside its mere membership. There is no other body in New Zealand which will put forward official labour candidates and as there is a large number of workers throughout the country districts who are unorganised and who arc yet in sympathy -with labour, who would willingly give a v-ote to help the labour cause if they had some means of. recognising the proper candidate io vote for, we expect, by giving an indication pf this kind, to exercise an influence''that labour -has not hitherto exercised in the country districts at previous general elections.