LABOUR MANIFESTO.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 7

LABOUR MANIFESTO.

—Or " ■ The following manifesto of the Labour Representation Coinmitte has been issued , to the various trades councils" Fellow workers,— The trades unionists and labour organisations of Wellington have formed a Labour Representation Committee for the purpose of securing tho return of members pledged to support and carry out the'policy of the Committee. "The objective decided upon' is'the Socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, 'and the method at present adopted towards ■ that end is the return of members pledged to support a Labour group, which shall be quite distinct from any, other, political party, all members returned to be controlled by tho Labour Representation Committee. 1.. , "Some 35 bodies are represented on tho Com-' mittee, including 32 trades unions, the Socialist party, Political Labour League, nud Fabian Society. Candidates put forward at any election will bo selected in the most democratic manner' possible, that being the chief. characteristics of the Committee, as expressed by its title, viz., Labour Representation The delegates who have been elected by the various affiliated bodies to the Committee are, in the majority of cases, men who have spent many years in tho consideration of various schemes and policies calculated to benefit the wealth-producers of the-Dominion, and the objective which has been decided upon is not held lightly as a means merely of votecatching. "The attitude towards any other political party or towards tho Government in power will be that of independence, unless that party or the Government is engaged ■ upon measures likely to affect the interests of tho workers or the objective of the Committee, when, of oourse, the measure will be supported or opposed accordingly. . . ' : "We recommend to the Trades Councils throughout New Zealand that similar action be entered upon immediately, in order that a party worthy of the name of the Labour party shall be returned at tho next goncral election to tho House of Representatives. "On behalf of tho Committee, Charles H. Chapman, secretary." ' i