MR. VEITCH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1375, 28 February 1912, Page 6

MR. VEITCH.

FUTURE OF THE LABOUR PARTY, AN ADVANCED POLICY. Mr. W. A. YEITCII (Wanganni) said that for the last fifteen years ho had been a prominent mai in trades union work. He imagined that when ho came into Parliament ho would require a great deal more polish and refinement than was possessed by a trades unionist. Ho had not, ho vover, been seriously impressed in that direction. There was a conference of trades unionists sitting- in ■Wellington just nr.v, and these men carried out their work with as much sincerity as anv of the lion, gontlcmcn who satin that House. They cost no reflections at one another across the table. They all worked together for tho object in view. Ho had been very favourably impressed with the matter contained in tho Governor's Speech. There wero general proposals that did not meet with his approval, but, Gpeaking generally, lie would say that if the matter was an insult to the intelligence of Parliament, then it was a most progressive insult, and ho hoped Parliament would bo insulted in that way very often. Tho Labour party did not recognise either of tho existing parties. They aimed at the greatest success they could obtain in bringing about reforms that the party stood for. After that thev were not at all particular as to which party they would support. He denied that the workers were at present seriously divided amongst themselves. There 'was never a time in the history of the country when the workers wero more united than they were now. Just how they would combine was a matter not yet decided upon. Some thought that they should fight industrially outside Parliament, others for the purpose of defending themselves inside Parliament. For his part, he saw no reason why both sections should not work side by side. If the workers had such a combination, the necessity to fight very hard in Parliament or out of it would have been disposed of.

Labour Legislation. .The workers of New Zealand had bene- ! fited very greatly by the legislation passed under tho present Government, but he claimed that many of those measures had been suggested by the workers themselves. If tho worker was capable of conceiving ideas for beneficent legislation, and giving them to the Government, then ho was capable of taking a place in Parliament himself. (Hear, hear.) He hoped that when the. Labour members were called upon to render an account of themselves to their constituents, whether in three months or three years they.would be ablo to- show a record of having conducted themselves in such a manner that both sides of the House would be prepared to ngree that they had done their best, and had acted in a reasonable manner. It was absurd to say that the workers were unreasonable men. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Veitch argued that cheap money meant dear land, and he maintained that the Advances to Settlers Department would not confer the benefits intended if its only effect was to make some men independent without actually benefiting the working Bettler or the community. It would be a very ungenerous man who would not admit that great benefits had been conferred by the workers' homes scheme, yet there was room for improvement in that system. A worker who owned a section worth .£SO was prevented by the existing regulations from obtaining a State advance to enable him to build a home, but a worker who had only .£lO could obtain sufficient assistance to enable him to obtain both a section and a house. Mr. Veitch commended the widows' pensions scheme as a really good one. There were many reforms needed •in.the Public Service,, and especially, -in ■the railway service, which could bo conceded without cost to the State. It was possible to make the public service a wellsab'sfied body of men. He suggested that a Eoyal' Commission or some other tribunal should bo appointed to investigate tho causes of the discontent and of the dissatisfaction that existed in the public service.

The Arbitration Court, The workers were now deserting the Arbitration Court. Arbitration was a perfectly sound orinciple, but the Court was not so constituted as to deal with present evils. It had successfully abolislied sweating, but the evil 'of to-day was monopoly, and the employer and employee ought to bo fighting it sido by side. If it could be proved that-the cost of living wa3 being unduly raised by any monopoly, the Arbitration Court should bo able not only to go into the question of the condition of tho worker, but also to examine employers as to. the operations of monopoly. It was necessary that the Court should have power do go into the whole question. In conclusion, he hoped the Labour party would so conduct itself as to command tho respect of the whole of the House. (Applause from all sides.) Mr. SPEAKER had begun to put the question, when the Hon. D. Buddo and Mr. Robertson both rose. The latter received the call of the chair.