MR. FOWLDS & LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1440, 15 May 1912, Page 8

MR. FOWLDS & LABOUR.

SIMPLY A RECRUITWHAT LOCAL LEADERS THINK. There arc reasons for supposing that the accession of the Hon. G. Fowlds to tho ranks of the Labour party is not looked upon with unmixed delight by tome of those who have spent a longer time within its fold. At all evcnts.it was mado clear to a reporter who talked yesterday with .some prominent Labour leaders that 3lr. Fowlds will not be accorded preferential treatment ns a distinguished recruit. Joining the Labour party, lie will be called upon to take his clianco with its rank and file supporters, from the selection ballot upwards.

Ono of thu first teen on the subject was Mr. M. J. li'eardiin, president of the local Trades Council. Asked what he thought of Mr. Fowlds .is a prospective leader of tho Labour party, Mr. lienrdon protested that this was going much too fast, '"lho question of leadership has not been raised yel," he said, "all that is happening at present is that Mr. Foivids is doiiij,' some useful work for the party. -Mr. Reardon went on to remark that ho saw nothing.out of tho way in a single-taxer joining the Labour party. Hie amis of Single Taxers and Labourites were tho same, up to a point; only tho Single laxers considered that when this point had l>een reached Labour would have attained its objective and there would he no necessity to go any further. Tins was tho only ground of difference between the two parties and it need not keep a bmglo Taxcr out of the Labour party. As to the position that Mr. Fowlds would occupy on joining the party, Mr. Reardon intimated that it would bo precisely that: of any other recruit. Mr. Fowids's past record and successes would not entitle him to be accepted as ft readymado candidate for Parliament. Illustrating tliis point, Mr. Reardon said that it would lie quite open to Mr. Payne, who now represents Grey Lynn, to stand against Mr. Fowlds at a. selection ballot. If the vote of Hie party went to Mr. Payne, Mr. Fowlds would bo required to «taml down in his favour. Mr. Reardon admitted that the Hon. .7. T Paul might be regarded as an aspirant for the leadership of tho Labour party. Mr. Paul has been active in party organisation work; he was a prominent figure at the recent Unity Conference, and ho is now president of the Dominion executive of the party. By virtue of this position, he is practically, at the moment, leader of the United Labour Party, but, if Labour succeeds in making a place ior itself in Parliament, the position of leader will probably be made separate from that of Dominion president. It is considered unlikely that this latter office will,bo held twice in succession by the same person. The rules'of the Australian Labour part* provide that a man must have been a member for at Ic'aSt twelve months before'he submits himself-as a candidate ni a'selection ballot.: An attempt-was made during 'the 'recent coitfetence; to formulate a similar rule in' New Zealand,'.six months, being''proposed'as a'probationary period. The .proposal'was thrown out, so that any person is eligible, on joining, for selection as a political candidate. Another prominent Labour leader who was approached discounted the idea that Mr. Fowlds was likely to become leader of tho Labour party. It wa-s unlikely, he opined, that any outsider would attain to the position of leader. Mon who had been connected with the movement for years would have a better claim, and, in addition, would naturally possess superior qualifications by reason of their insido knowledge of the ramifications of party organisation. Mr. W. T. Young (secretary of the heamen's Union) endorsed what Mr. Reardon had said about the rule that any new member, whatever his previous record must run tho gauntlet of a selection ballot before being put forward as a party candidate. As to the leadership, Mr. \ounj? said that he assumed that the party would be governed on thoroughly democratic lines. The party.qpd not any single man,, would rule, and"when the political Labour party had elected a leader, his policy would l>3 guided and controlled by a majority vote of its members.