IN A NEW GUISE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1412, 12 April 1912, Page 5

IN A NEW GUISE.

UNITED LABOUR. UNITY PROPOSALS CONSIDERED. The conference of the New Zealand Labour party when it resumed yesterday considered the constitution and platform of (he newly-created body which is to be known as the linifril Labour party of New Zealand. The chairman (Mr. W. U. Hampton) explained that the business before the conlerenco was consideration of tho complete proposals framed by the Unity Conference. It was agreed that tho namo of the organisation be the United Labour Party of .New Zealand. Objects. It was resolved that the objects of flio organisation shall be:— 1. To promote the organisation of all tho workers of New Zealand in all forms of necessary service; 2. To protect their interests in the matter of regular, rational, and remunerative employment; 3. To promote their good citizenship and to increase their efficiency; i. To consolidate their political power in their own behalf, and to use their whole power (both political and economic) in negotiations with employers, before tho Courts, in municipal, county, and Dominion Governments, in international relations, and (if need be) in industrial revolt; 5. To use the fruits of every partial victory to strengthen and continue this work until the power to oppress and exploit any of the workers, either by private monopolies controlling tho Government, or through tho private monopoly ownership and control of industry, shall utterly disappear, and there shall bo secured for all the people power to purchase with their income the total products of their labour—until, in short, the means of production, distribution, and exehango (in so far as they constitute in private hands instruments of oppression and exploitation) shall be socially owned and operated without profit and for the common good of all. Membership.—This organisation shall consist of:—(a) Single local unions of workers; (b) National federations of district trades, services, and occupations; (c) National groups of federations of distinct trades, services and occupations; (d) District trades or labour councils; (e) Associated societies and individual members. Clauses of the new constitution were adopted relative to officers and their duties, finance, trades, and labour councils. Trades or Labour Councils. In each eity, county, or province there shall be established a council. AVhero such councils now exist they shall have power to work in accordance with their present or amended rules, provided such rules enable the representation of all bodies covered by this constitution, and for the extended functions and duties of such councils as herein specified. Where new councils are established, the rules adopted must include provision for the admission of all bodies covered by this constitution and for the full exerrise of nil the duties assigned to sudi councils. The purposes for which the councils exist shall be: To promote the complete organisation of all the workers in' nil occupations within their respective territories. The above clanr.es, together with several other provisions for carrying out tho objects of the party, were adopted. Tha Party Platform. In addition to the already adopted platform of the Labour party, the following was agread to:— Further, we hereby agree not to join in , the nomination of any candidate for I the position in question] until a number of signatures to this agreement, equal to one-fourth of the number of votes polled at the last election itor the same position] shall first have been secured, or until this reqtiisition-agreq-litcut shall have lapsed for lack of support; and in the lurmer ca-.c we promise to participate in a plebiscite, by preferential .--ingle transferable vole, to be conducted by pu-l by tho Labour parly, for (he choice of candidate; and we further promise to support the candidate so eiioM'ii; it being understood

thai, while the icquNiliun is. in operalion the Labour party shall not give official support to a candidate nominated in any other way. All candidates must lit: members of the Labour party and signers of this agreement, and they must be endorsed on petition by at least uao-lenlli of I lie. signers of Ihis agreement within the t|i.-lrict. and all candidates mii.-t be so endorsed and announcinl, as Hell as the roll of those entitled to vole completed at least ten days before the taking of the plebiscite. Rule by Caucus. It was agreed that:—"ln all l'arliamentarv bodies the leadership of the Labour par'lv shall not be vested in any single individual, but the leader of the parly shall be simply the chief executive .nflicer of the organisation, and all policies and programmes al'fceti'.ig the platform uf this organisation shall be discussed in and decided by « majority vote of the representatives of this organisation. Mr. ('Lii)haiii gave notice to move— "That, in view nf the probable adoption of the name United Labour I'ari.v by the Uuitv I'oiiioromT, this l.nlr.ur party ot New' Zealand change ils name to the Labour League." Immediate Fighting Platform. The following was agreed to by the Labour i'artv Conference as I lie immediate lighting platform of the United Labour Party:--Tho establishment of Slate ferry services and Slate colliers; also that the Dominion Government co-operate with the federal Government of Australia in tne establishment, of an inter-State shipping service. Tho abolition of the country quota in determining Parliamentary representation. The Parliamentary franchise to apply to the electii-'i of all local bodies and to all local polls. . Legislation reversing the Osborne judgment as related to New Zealand. The restoration of full political rights to all public employees. The initiative, referendum, and recall on proper petition and by bare majority. Endowment of motherhood, pensions for widows, orphans, the blind, and incurably helpless, and State medical aid and hospital care in all cases of illness. The Elective Executive. Proportional representation on single transferable vote. Tho establishment of n State bank, and of' the sole right to issue paper money. A land svstem shall be established which shall b'ring into tlie most productive use, either by individual undertakings or by public enterprise, all national resources; shall make absentee ownership and private monopoly in land impossible; shall secure to the landholder all the values created by him and those only; all such values to be exempt from all taxation; and shall secure to the public in\an annual tax all values created by the public. No further sale of Crown lands. Increased taxation of land values, the revenue so raised to be used to reduce tho cost of living by the reduction nf Custom taxes on the necessaries of life not produced in New Zealand, and by the. reduction of railway freights and fares. That a free and secular State education system be maintained, with compulsory attendance up to the age of 15 years; and that tho necessary books and stationery be supplied free by the Dci partnient. That beyond the ago all boys and girls not receiving full-time instruction at secondary or other schools shall attend continuation classes for not less than fifteen hours per week until (hey reach the age of 17. That no employer shall employ boys or girls under 17 years of age for more than • thirty hours per week. Thai provision be made so thai up to the age of 21 years systematic physical exorcise shall l>e substituted for uiilitarv drill. The right'of the people to decide all questions submitted on a bare majority vole. E-tablishment by law of a national minimum wage. \ Right to Work Act. I,'staMisluuent of compctVivo Stab l factories, works, and 'orvice«. The settlement, nf industrial disputes on the lines of legally established agreements and awards by methods of conciliation and arbitration. , Tho following additional clau» ttm re- v

commended to the United Labour part/ for adoption in the platform :—"A graduated income tax, based on scientific principles, with a super-tax on unearned incomes."

Tho following sentence in the paragraph re education was referred to the comiiiiltee set up to deal with the compulsory clauses of tho Defence Act:—

"That provision bo mndo so that up to. tho age of 21 years systematic physical exercises shall be substituted for military drill."

Tho conference adjourned till after the conclusion of tho Unity Conference.