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Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 118, 25 March 1893, Page 2

The persons who represent the Labor Party in the South Island have evidently quite made up their minds to " run the colony." In Uunedin the Labour Party's platform, which is being circulated for suggestions or approval, contains 1G planks, providing for giving a vote to every adult, after one month's residence, for Parliamentary, municipal and all local board elections ; all education free and secular, from primary schools to University, with one set of books ; the .State to find employment for all who want it on co-operative principles ; a statutory eight hours, and prohibition of foreign labour ; repeal of the conspiracy laws ; compulsory arbitration ; State ownership of land, mines, railways, coastal and marine steamers ; State Bank ; elective Governor ; abolition of the Upper House, substituting a revising chamber; the drink traffic to be controlled by the people, the majority deciding whether existing l'censes shall be renewed or not. This is comprehensive enough, but rather rough on ratepayers who have passed the bent years of their lives in getting a little property together, to have it swept away in this free and easy fashion. In Christchurch we are told, that on Wednesday afternoon a meeting of the unemployed was held in Cathedral Square when fifty men attended. Mr Powell, the chairman, said they were not satis tied with the reply received by the Mayor from the Minister of Labour, and must insist on having work provided near Christclmrch. A resolution was pa-ssed on the motion of K. Whiting, seconded by Powell, calling upon the Government to put some work in hand immediately to provide for the starving unemployed who put them in oliice, " as it is far better to give work to people than to hoard up money for a surplus." Powell said men would meet every day at 3 o'clock until the Government put some work in hand for them. It is quite evident from this that the Christclmrch unemployed have forgotten tho wholesome losson tliejy received from the lloil. K. J. Seddon, not so many months ago. Still, it is very hard on the Government to have the taunt thtOK'n at them that they owe their positions to " the starving unemployed." This may or may not be true, but it shows that notwithstanding all the boasting of Ministers to the contrary, that the working classes, whether employ, dor unemployed, are changing their views of the virtue and wisdom of the present Cabinet.