SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10927, 17 November 1913, Page 8

SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY.

MEETING AT ST ALBANS PARK. Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held in St Albans Park, under the auspices of tlio Social Democratic Party. A very cold wind was blowing, and the attendance was not large. The meeting was hold to promote the interests of the party at a coming byolection for the City Council. Mr Home presided, and briefly explaiied the objects of the meeting,-and called on Mr Thorn to address the meeting. Mr J. Thorn said that at tho present time the industrial crisis overshadowed everything else. One thing it proved was that the working classes must have adequate representation in Parliament and on local bodies' before they could secure fair conditions of labour and a fair and reasonablo amount of comfort and happiness. No great strike could, take place without iorcing political intervention sooner or later, and the manner of that intervention, depended upon the degree to which Labour, was represented in the House.. In the present House there wero only five men who could be 6aicl to be sympathetic with tho aims of Labour. A Tory Govarmnent was in power, and so far as it had intervened it had done so to beat down the men arid assist the employers. Mr Massey had no social outlook whatsoever. Ho could not _ look at a disputo like this from a national viewpoint. His prejudices ranged, him with the masters, and so he had put at their disposal the forces of the State in order that they -might theworkers now on strike. The Government was taxing the country to pay a host of vspecial constables and to promote Unions of scab labour. ; It had taken a stand on one side to defeat "Unions legally formed, legally registered and acting legally. The speaker urged the citizens in the St Albans Ward to return a Social Democrat to the City Council at tho coming by-election. He claimed that the party stood for co-operation and. gradual growth. Its aims were just and right, and it must win. Never in history had mere force defeated righteousness. Force was tho only weapon of tyrants, and it always failed., A few men might lose their liberty or their lives, hut if they stood for what was right nothing could withstand them in the long run. Messrs H. Moreton and R. Williams also addressed the meeting.