WORKING MEN IN ENGLISH POLITICS.

Waikato Times, Volume II, Issue 104, 31 December 1872, Page 3

WORKING MEN IN ENGLISH POLITICS.

The London porreapondent of the 'New York World gives tlie following programme as the result of a number of conferences between the leaders of Boveral political Working Men's Associations, arid Mr Samuel Morlev, M.P., acting ott behalf of an advanced portion of the Liberal party the meetings being arranged with a view to lbiin an organisation to effect political and social reform : — 1. Registration oi Voters' Bill, abolition of lodgers rental qualification, and reduction of residential qualification to six months 2. Assimilation of borough and county voting. 3. Approximate equi.tiy of representation to population. 4. Candidates to be relieved of legal election expenses, and members af Parliament to have the right of payment for tlieir services. 5. Absolute secret ballot. 6. Shorter Parliaments. 7. The abolition of property or rating qualification for parochial and municipal officers, and of landed qualification for the oflke of justice of the peace. • 1. The abolition of the present Commons Enclosure Act , the acquisition by the State of cultivable waste and other lands, to be let to co-operative associations,or Bmall cultivators, on conditions that shall secure them an equitable interest theiein. The Land Improvement Commissioners to have power to grant loans to those located on such lands on the same terms as they now lend money for land improvement. 2. Total abolition of the Game Laws. Our Government to initiate the framing of a code of international law, and the establishment of a high court oi nations for the settlement ot international disputes. 1. A thorough revision of the civil list, and a large reduction of exp mditu e in all deparments of the state. 2. Taxation, as far as poss.ble, to be direct. 3. The national debt to be reduced by a retrenchment of war expenditure. 4. Readjustment of income tax so as to relieve incomes derived from industrial or professional pursuits from samie percentage as incomes derived from property. 5. An equitable rating of all property for the purposes of local taxation, and a national equalisation of the poor and education rates. 1. School Boards to be established in all districts to secure free and compulsory education on the principle of secular instruction by the State, and separate religious instruction by voluntary effort. 2. The disestablishment and the disendowment of the state churches.

3. Total abolition of the truck system. 4. An efficient mines' regulation bill. 5. Transfer of licensing power to the people. 6. Repeal of Criminal Law Amendment Act. 7. County Boards elccted on a broad popular suffrage to exercise powers similar to Metropolitan Board ot Works. These boards and municipal bodies to have power for sanitary measures, tramways, gas, water, &c., to relieve the House of Commons of unnecessary details of legislation. 8. Purchase of railways by the State. 9. The amendment of the Factory and Workshops Acts so as to limit the labour of women and cluldren to nine hours per day. A committee has been appointed to circulate this address and to call in due time a meeting of adherents of the movement, to be represented by delegates. It is stated that the programme is believed to be practicable and necessary for tho following reasons, — 1. Because the old Liberal programme is well nigh exhausted, and it is time we had another which shall combine social with political reform. 2. Because we'believe that unless some well-defined and progressive programme is agreed upon, at the next general election it will be difficult to distinguish between real and sham reformers. ( 3. Because the programme, used as a test of the candidate s professions, will help to keep out of the next House of Commons tricksters and shallow politicians of any class, and enable electors to distinguish between men of professions and men of principles. 4. Because we believe that candidates who will not accept the platform, or the greater part of it, will be wholly unworthy of tho confidence or support of the electors.