THE LABOUR SPLIT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15987, 2 December 1919, Page 11

THE LABOUR SPLIT.

A WARNING TO THE WORKERS. INTERESTING POINTS RAISED BY MR VEITCH. Mr W. A. Teitch addressed the workers at file Castlecliff Freezing Works during the dinner hour yesterday, Mr S. Jarrett occupying the chair. Mr Veitch spoke on the general political situation and emphasised the danger of splitting the democratic vote and thus helping the Conservative Party. He pointed out that the efforts of the Tory press to win the workers from him to the Holland candidate was a fairly clever move which had for its purpose the dividing of the Labour votes evenly between the two, hoping in this way to make it possible for the reactionaries’ candidate to win the seat on a minority vote. He felt sure his hearers would not be influenced by such a transparent electioneering dodge. Mr Veitch claimed that he had always voted and worked in the interests of the wage-earners, and pointed to the fact that throughout the Dominion in this campaign, and indeed in the previous election, the disorganisation of the democratic political forces was giving the Reform Party an unfair advantage. Tho policy of the official Labour.Party appeared to be to help the Reformers to smas lithe Liberal Party, and in proof of this he explained how, when the Massey Government was in danger of being defeated on an amendment that had for its purpose the increasing of .the wages of the railway men, Messrs Holland, Semple, and Walker had voted against the amendment, and Messrs McCombs and Fraser had not voted either way. If all the five members of the official Labour Party had voted in support, of that amendment, it would have resulted in a tic, but owing to the attitude of the official Labour Party in supporting Mr Massey against the railwaymen's interests, the amendment was lost by :il to 23. Mr Veitch stated that his purpose in the next Parliament would be to endeavour to pull the democratic forces together. and by means of the moderate Labour group, which he helped to form, to prevent the Massey Party from holding office, and the disloyalists from dominaJ.'ng !i;c Government, i At the close of bis address the followin ;■ motion was moved;—“ That this i meeting i banks Mr Veitch for his able adrircs-. ana for his services in Parliament during the last eight years, and oppresses its continued confidence in him. - ’ The motion wa* received with enthusiasm and carried unanimously. The meeting, which was enthusiastic throughout, terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.