LABOUR PARTY MEETING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143766, 15 April 1912, Page 7

LABOUR PARTY MEETING.

POLICY OF THE PARTY. In the Good Templars’ Hal! on Sunday afternoon Messrs. Ivor Hazel) and M. J. Reardon (Wellington) delivered addresses dealing with the policy of the New Zealand United Labour Party and also the Mills unity scheme. .Ur. Hazell, in opening, drew attention to the present industrial unrest, which was wprld-wide, but they as members of the.A'cw Zealand United Labour Parly were seeking to meet that unrest' by sane and sensible methods ; they were not, as far as this Dominion was concerned, endeavouring at the present juncture to invoke any other means than, iu the first place, conciliatory methods on the one hand and political action on the other. Dealing briefly with the question ol strikes, 1 the speaker said lie had come to this country because he believed we bad the best lalxuir laws in the world ; perhaps, sometimes, badly administered, but nevertheless the jaws were in the direction of preventing strikes. His own personal experience of strikes iu the Old Land, where he witnessed the grim spectacle of men, women, and children .starving, as the result either of strikes or lockouts, made him determined to always use his best 'influencß that the weapon of '“.strike” should only bo used as the very last resource to ecc-uro justice. Dealing with the unity scheme, he mentioned that when it was realised that in this Dominion there were no loss than seven separate labour organisations, it wes obviously clear that in questions of vital importance to the great mass of the people there was a lack- of cohesion ; but the adoption of the unity scheme meant that they had reduced that number to three, and he Dusted their democratic friends who were still outside would observe the majority rule, and that before long there would only be one Labour Party ih Yew Zealand fighting for the rights of workers m the broadest sense. Mr Reardon prefaced Ins address on the policy of the United Labour Party by dealing with other phases of the unity scheme, in a most comprehensive manner, and he added that with a compact party as the result-of the conference just concluded in Y f hiiiHon, who could offer a sound practical policy, not in the interest of one class, b it in the interest of the useful people of this country as a whole, he anticipated rapid strides for that party in the very near ftl -AVhat we want at the present time.” said Air. Reardon, “more, than anv thing else is that the people whose interest we are endeavouring to piotort whose conditions of life wc are anxious to improve, will «imp y fuly the policy Which has been adopted lie found on coming to a rural district that every endeavour, had been made to damage and prejudice Die Labour party, in the eyes of tho farming community, hut to tlmt and ot i statements 1m would give a most emphatic denial. What. they were fightm 0 and intended to fight much more vigor, ouslv in the future than in the past was the land monopolist, money monopolist, and anv every other form of monopoly that was operating to the detriment ot the useful people of this country. Ihey as a party were out to protect the "onuinc small farmer, just as much as they wore out Lo protect any other class of worker, they as ft party recognised that the average farmer at tlie present time was not reaping the full benefit of his labour. The Labour party’s policy on the miration of education was one of free, secular, and compulsory attendance up to the age of fifteen years, and that the necessary honks and stationery should be printed by the Government and supplied free by the Department of Education. Thai beyond the age ot fifteen all hoys and girl:, not receiving full time instructions at secondary or other schools .should attend continuation classes for not less than fifteen hours per week until they reach the ago of seventeen. The party’s policy was not to interfere with the tenure of the small settlor, but they wore determined to hold the .small remaining portions of the Crown lands. Currency reform, electoral reform were also dwelt with in comprehensive manner. Air. Reardon explained the Laliour party’s attitude towards other political parties, and the need for Labour to he absolutely independent. Both speakers wore heartily applauded, and at the conclusion wore accorded hearty votes of thanks.