POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2018, 21 August 1919, Page 3

POLITICAL.

PEOPLE’S LEAGUE

SOME OF ITS DEMANDS

Christchurch, Aug. 18,

A new political party, known as the People’s League, is being formed in Christchurch. A committee- is engaged drawing up a programme. As soon as this is completed a public meeting will be held and branches formed throughout the Dominion.

Two of the main movers in the league are Messrs Andrew Fairbirn (who was a member of the Cost of Living Commission) and J. B. Struthers. A statement of the objects of the league sets out that it is an organisation of lawabiding citizens, who believe in democratic const!tu-

tonal government, and are opposed

to secretly arranged action, inimical to public interests, designed by combinations in restraint--of trade, profiteers, and strike organisers. The league is established in the interests of all classes of labour, and is desirous of bringing about a better understanding between all sec-

tions of the community. “Minimum wages,” it says, “must not be sub-

jected to commercial competition, and should go hand-in-hand with the cost of living. They must provide for a reasonable standard of

but no artificial obstacles should be placed in the way of workers to improve their position in life. Incontrovertible evidence exists that war profiteering Iras been operating with the full knowledge of both the Massey Government and the Coalition - Government. Through their failure to gazette by Or-der-in-Council the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, 1914, in its entirety, the people have been prevented from using the law courts to obtain redress from profiteers.” The league demands —(a) “That the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act be gazetted in its entirety, to cover all commodities, and be made retrospective to 10th August, 1914,” (b) “That all profiteers within the meaning of the Act be prosecuted, that all proved war profits be confiscated and paid to reduce the war debt, and that guilty

lartios be punished, as provided for

in section 14.” The League demands that the present Board of Trade, which has proved itself incapable of protecting the people from profiteering, be abolished, and a new board constituted with a competent personnel, concerned with the consumers’ interests, the new hoard to have statutory powers to take evidence and compel subpoenaed witnesses to produce books and documents when investigations are necessary. After advocating the reconstruction of chambers of commerce, and giving them statutory powers to institute prosecutions for profiteering and breaches of the A eights, Food, and Commercial Trusts Acts, and the licensing of all business, the statement proceeds; “The League pledges itself to uphold absolute freedom of trade within the Dominion, aryl demands an amendment to the Commercial Trusts Act, preventing suppliers or combinations of traders from fixing selling prices, with penal conditions, and other methods practised for the purpose of increasing the prices to the public.” In conclusion, the League protests against the British Empire Order decorations being conferred upon men who have not served outside New Zealand, and against the niggardly and unsympathetic treatment of soldiers who have served overseas. It advocates a sound system of defence, hut is against compulsory service in peace time.

P.P.A.’s PLATFORM. “FOR GOD AND COUNTRY.” Under the title of “For God and Country,” the Protestant Political Association has issued its platform' as follows for the forthcoming General Elections; — 1. To promote loyalty to the King and to the Empire, to maintain the Protestant faith, and the Protestant succession to the Throne, the civil rights and religious liberties of the people, uphold law and order, the impartial administration of the laws, and to secure the compulsory registration of every elec-

2. To maintain and extend Hie national system of free, compulsory and midciuuuiiialioiial odium t ion, primary, secondary, technical, and university. To secure the provision of free school hooks and requisites by the Slate. The adequate remuneration of teachers, and the payment of rates and taxes upon sectarian school properties. 3. To secure the profitable occupation of the land and the settlement of men in industries as owners with State assistance. The repatriation of soldiers, the co-opera-tion of all sections of society to develop the natural resources of the Dominion, its industries, and commerce. 4. To maintain the sanctity of the marriage larvs, and to make penal the teachings or promulgation of the Xe Temere Decree, or-the performance of a second religious ceremony on the ground that a Protestant or mixed marriage is no marriage. 5. The national construction of main arterial roads and railway lines, Avith feeder lines and roads upon a system of taxation of the benefited areas. ti. The better development and control of the coal and fishing industries, and vigorous afforestation. 7. To prevent combines and trusts -(whether of Capital or of Labour) Avhose operations are or

may be detrimental to the welfare of the people, and to control the cost of, living by increased production and scientific distribution. The cost of living to be decreased by bringing the producer and consumer closer together*. A preferential tariff within the Empire and between the Allies, 8. ■ The reconstruction of industrial legislation. The social and economic education of the people. TnCjiiiry into the causes of industrial unrest and the cost of living, and their reform by constitutional methods, and by promoting the association of Capital and Labour. To resist the exploitation of labour in the name of charity. The Government inspection of religions houses and charitable institutions.

9. The vigorous prosecution of housc-'eonstruction by the State to insure adequate housing Tor every family in the Dominion.

' 10. To secure the just and equitable employment in the public Departments, full civil and political rights to public servants, and a more equal scale of payment as between the various services. The reorganisation of the public Departments upon modern methods of efficiency. Every servant of the State to be required to take an oath of allegiance. 11. To maintain an efficient Health Department to safeguard the physical well-being of (he people, to provide for free qualified medical, dental, and optical examinations and the treatment of all children in the State schools, and to afford free medical and hospital treatment for the people where necessary.

12, That it is the duty of every citizen to assist in the defence of the nation in the time of peril, and it is the nation’s duty to enable every citizen to fulfil Ids or her part. That (his can he best accomplished by universal application of an efficient training system.

The first and most important object being to return to Parliament men of character, ability, stalwart principle, and nndouhied loyalty, who will maintain the supremacy of Parliament and the principles of true democracy.