Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17th, 1919. THE LABOR PARTY.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17th, 1919. THE LABOR PARTY.

In the present general election much is being heard about the I#bor Party. The party as already represented in Parliament did not show much adbiir sion, for the reason that it was of two degrees—the extreme section and the imo-re stable section.- The extremists

lived up to their parts and it cannot be said impressed the public generally. Tile saner section made a decided impression on the other hand, and it is conceivable that- a party organised under such leadership would carry considerable sway. Labor in general, is

unfortunate in its extremist leaders. Labor has special claims upon the country, and this was first recognised by the Liberals, who, as far back as , 1891 when the Ballance Government j went into power, began to lay the foun- | dation which led to the emancipation J of the workers and gave them their first standing as a political party. The Liberals created a Minister of Labor, and I also a department, the duty of wh Lilias been ever since to regard the welfare of th e worker as its special duty. In the past this, attention to Labor was recognised by the masses by their adhesion to the Liberals and the late Mr Seddon made them a partner in his government which was known as the Liberal-Labor government. He chose from the ranks of tlio workers representatives his colleagues, Mr Hall Jones being the first notably appointment. Mr Seddon himself camo from t-ho people and he was not unmindful of his co-warkeirs. His colleagues generally were men of broad human

ympathies, and 'the record of the Librals during the premierships of Bai- a ance, Seddon, and Ward show that 31 n the reign of each, Labor interests and Labor legislation were in the forefront of the party’s programme. A £ dose and intimate alliance grew up, till ;he extremist began to appear and with | lis loud voice began a campaign which e tas divided (Labor against itself, till 1o- o lay we see, the two divisions aboVe re’erred to. They are parts asunder. ■ Phere is no mutual respect one to the 1 s other, and Labor is suffering for the j k schisms brought about by the extrem- j ists. The' party is now so divided that 1' its loses its true political weight, and J , under th© extreme leadership the chasm |: is so wide that there is little hope for I reunion within the party. The hope for < sane Labor is to ally itself to the Liber ) al party, the progressive policy of I which is essentially for the benefit cf j the masses. When the late Mr Seddon had his most triumphant political 'victory, and swept the polls from the North Cape to the Bluff, he did it on his humanitarian policy. That policy is still before the country and it is capable of expansion session by session in the true interests •of the people. 1 There is already an unofficial alliance as between the Liberals and sane La - bor. Many of the candidates utanding for Parliament as Labor candidates declare themselves supporters of the Liberals, and this is the pointer which ndicates the political spirit permeating the people at this juncture. Deep down in . the minds of the people there is a feeling of trust in the Liberals which was the party in the past to accomplish things. The Liberal party has a great record, and the names @f its past leaders are the most familiar with the people because it was men like Balance, Seddon, and Ward who did things for the people, and the people enjoy the benefits to-day: