A LABOUR FESTIVAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1411, 11 April 1912, Page 8

A LABOUR FESTIVAL.

STANDING ALONE. THK LIBERALS REPUDIATED. Labour delegates who have come lo Wellington to attend the conferences in progress were entertained ill a smoke social in the Titl'en Rooms last evening by the local branch of the Labour parly and the local Trades Council. Li nil about eighty poisons attended, including most of the local and visiting delegates. Mr. W. 11. Hampton, president of the Dominion executive of the Labour party, acted as chairman. Amongst those present were the lion. W. J). S. Maedonald (Minister for Public Works), the lion. G. Lanreiison (Minister for Labouii, Uk Hon. .1. A. Hanan (Minister for Justice), the Hon. 11. G. Ell (Postmaster-General), Sir J. G. Ward, the Hen. R. M'Kenzie, Messrs. \\\ A. Vcitch. M.P., A. If. Hindmarsh, M.P., .1. Robertson, M.P., ]). M'Laren, and E. Tregear. Apologies for absence were received from the Prime Minister (the Hon. T. Mackenzie), the Hon. A. M. Myers (Minister for Railways), and the lion. T. Rangihiroa. The Hon. G. Laurenson (.Minister for Labour) proposed (he toast of "The Trades Councils' Federation," and the Hon. J. T. Paul responded. The toast; of "The" New Zealand Labour Party" was proposed by Mr. Clapham, and responded to by Messrs. D. M'Laren and 1). Sullivan. ' Mr. J. M'Cullough. proposed the toast of Parliament. Sir Joseph Ward said that it was a fine thing to find the leaders of Labour aiming at obtaining control of this country. In the latter part of his address Sir Joseph Ward advocated establishing working men and their families on five and ten-acre blocks along the lines of railway, and near the towns. His hearers, ho said, should be very thankful to the Conservatives in New Zealand for creating the impetus which had given rise to the present situation. The Conservatives preached chaos. They had attempted recently to enter into a union with the workers. The late election had afforded the spectacle of the Conservatives at one end of a balance and the Liberals at the other, and the latter had been just heavy enough to tip the balance, and give Labour the start it was getting now.

The Hon. R. M'Kenzie said that the Liberal and Labour party had put splendid legislation upon the Statute Book for twenty years, until a time came when a raival was necessary. The Labour party must absorb the small business man and the professional man, and would then be in'a position to control his country for the next forty years or more. Addresses were also delivered by the Hon. \V. I). S. Maedonald, and the Hon. J. \. Hanan Air. Hindmarsli did not make a speech, but just after Mr. Hanan had concluded he rose and said: ".Mr. Chairman, 1 refused to nttond a Liberal caucus the other day, so 1 hope you will allow me to withdraw from the meeting." Mr. Hindmarsh then left. Other speakers were the Hon. G. Etl, and Messrs. J. Robertson, M.P., \V. Naughton, Burgoyne, J. Reader, and G. R. Whiting. Professor Mills, who responded to the final toast of "The Press," was received with cheers. Early in his address ho said that he repudiated the Liberal-Labour party, and wanted it distinctly understood that there was no Liberal-Labour party. He believed that the Liberal leaders had done the. best they could, but. the first task lo be undertaken in NewZealand was a political reorganisation. The Unity Conference was not an effort to unite the Labour party with the Liberal partyv (Loud applause.)