LABOUR=-=AND THE FUTURE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1415, 16 April 1912, Page 8

LABOUR=-=AND THE FUTURE.

CONFERENCE MEN'S OPINIONS.

(By Telesraph.-Spccial Correspondent.) Christchurch, April 13 Speaking to a "Press" representative yesterday, one of the delegates to the recent Labour Conference in Wellington remarked: "Tho holding of tho Unity Conference is proof that thero is no natural affinity between Liberalism and Labour."

"I would rather havu the straightforwardness of Mr. Massey," remarked another delegate"than the attitude, of Sir Joseph Ward." Mr llirain Hunter,-secretory of the Canterbury Diners'_ Union. „■],„ rotnriifd lroni the Drivers' Federation and Unitv onlerence, said: Though J expected that the unity proposals would meet with a good deal of success, 1 did not anticipate anything like the enthusiasm that was manifested. Tho general feeliii" appeared to be that Labour has always made a great mistake in the p-ist in liavin- anvthing to do with any of tho political parner as a young man on attaining his majority, and is prepared in tho same manner as a young man on attainig his majority to launch out for itself. Absolute independence is tlie only way to phrase Vlie altitude of the Labour party, and the only departure therefrom will bo an agreement to attain some definite purpose such as the realisation of some important plank in the party's reform. "What arc the possibilities of the Federation of Labour coming in under the unity scheme?" asked tho reporter, "At present they are remote," replied Mr. Hunter. "J. hero has been such a feeling shown at the Labour Conference in favour of the arbitration lystem, and the Federation of Labour is so uncompromising in its Hostility to arbitration that the possibilities of coining to an agreement are very remote. We had to come to a very definite understanding with the railway men on the question of any probable action in the direction of a general strike, and had to make it clear that no union could be involved in such a strike without being consulted and without a vote of its members having first been taken. The clause dealing with this matter was drafted by the representatives of the railwaymen. It was suggested by their representative that this probable action in regard to a general strike marked a breaking away from the principle of arbitration.

"I do not think that labour ever did have absolute faith in the. arbitration system," Mr. Hunter added. "Still I can hardly conceive at the present time any circumstances that would result in a general strike. Those who are leading the movement 'realise that in the case of a general strike the workers have to foot the bill. They further realise that once labour is organised sufficiently to make a general strike successful the need for the adoption of such a method will have departed, because the workers can use their strength at the ballot-box, put their own representatives into Parliament, and get what they want by legislation. Another thing that is being generally recognised is that wo cannot keep on asking for increased wages without making some provision for the reduction or the control of the cost of living. There is not the slightest doubt that when the workers have received an increase in wages, more than the increase has been wrung from the consumers in extra charges by the employers. This is due to the absence of a body "with power to take action to maintain the purchasing power of wages. "Generally the outlook for the Labour party is very bright," said Mr. Hunter, in concluding. "The feeling amongst Labour men, and.also among prominent men in tho Liberal party, is that there will bo a general election before the year is out. As to tho Mackenzie Government, it is expected that it will survive long enough to effect an amendment of the electoral laws in the direction of substituting a system of preferential voting for the second ballot system."