N.Z. LABOUR PARTY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14238, 2 July 1910, Page 6

N.Z. LABOUR PARTY.

BBANCH FORMED AT TEMTJKA,, On Wednesday niglit, in the Oddfellows 5 Hall, Terauka, j\fr J. Town&end addressed a small meeting of those interested in the purpose of forming a branch of the New Zealand Labour party. Mr R. Washington occupied the chair. Mr. Townsend outlined the birth of which he said was jtn of the Independent Political Labour pacty which cited out after the was founded aa one

I result of the elections in Australia last April, when labour was returned at the top of the poll. What was done in .Australia oould he done in New Zealand. , After reading the party's platform he j commented upon the present state of labour in New Zealand, and the socalled Liberalism. He believed that four years ago there was a strong and | true Liberal party under Mr Seddon, but his place had been filled by a man I and his followers who had not given the ! least attention to the workers and the 1 democratic party of the community. ! Since last election not one Act had been | passed, which was of benefit to the I workers. Ha referred to the operation ! of the Arbitration Amendment Act of i two years ago, closer settlement, old j age pensions, and compensation. Under the closer settlement Act as worked at present, he said large land owners wer« growing richer at the expense of the country, because the owners were allowed to place such exorbitant prices on their land proposed to be bought for the purpose. Sir J. G. Ward had pro-1 greased land taxation the wrong way. Both Sir J. G. Ward and Mr Massey, he said, were opposed to the nima of labour.. He next touched upon the outlook of Australian politics, and advised the workers to vote for a Labour candidate who must be a member of the Labour party, and the Industrial TJnion. Mr J. Donohue moved that a branch of the Labour party be started at Te- ! rnuka. This was seconded by Mr Cooper | and carried. Mr Donohue was elected j secretary pro tem, and Mr R. Washingj ton president.