Labour Organisation

Maoriland Worker, Volume 1, Issue 5, 20 January 1911, Page 13

Labour Organisation

AN ATTEMPT TO UNITE LABOUR. Recognition of the good work that Mr Peter BoAvling has done inNNeA r South Wales led, at the end of last year, to the suggestion that he should be engaged by Now Zealand Avorkers to assist in the task of bringing the workers into a common organisation. The idea Avas that Mr BoAAiing might be able to conciliate the various sections of the organised AAorkers and also to draiv many unattached Avorkers into a central organisation. With this object in view a meeting was convened in Christchurch on January 4. It Avas soon evident, hoAA'ever, that the sections of labour represented had Avidely differing views, and although not entirely resultless the meeting failed in its immediate object. There Avas an attendance of about seventy representative Avorkers, and Mr H. Hunter presided. (From "Lyttelton Times," January 5.) The chairman, in opening the meeting, said that Mr Bowling Avould leave the dominion on January 13, and it was thought advisable that opportunity should be given for the consideration of the question of engaging him for a further term in the dominion. Labour unionism had arrived at an acute stage. In face of the decision given by Mr Justice Sim at Gisborne it was quite useless for any union to go to the Arbitration Court to ask for an increase of Avages, and labour Avould have to move. Mr M. Laracy said that Mr Bowling had promised to stay if it was thought that he could do any good in the dominion. He Avould go out to organise industrially _ and politically' for the general elections next year. It was thought that he could, organise the workers in six months, and there was no better man for the work. It was thought that in that time he could bring the unions together, and if they were not strong enough to take political action he would have done a great deal of good. They should all assist him to bring about a solidarity in the Labour ranks of New Zealand. Mr H. Campbell said that he Avas thoroughly convinced that Mr Bowling had done a lot of good in Christchurch, and that as an organiser he could do a great amount of good in the dominion. At the present time labourites were divided among themselves. They should do anything they could to bring the labour forces together to educate them. Mr BoAA-ling could do a lot of good industrially. There Avere at present tAvo bodies attempting to bring about a federation of labour— the Miners' Federation and the Trades and Labour Council. Mr Bowling could bring the two bodies together into one solid organisation, and a labour party could be -formed— not a "wishy-washy" labour party, but one with absolute Socialism in view. No matter Avhat socialistic ideas a man had Avhen he entered Parliament at present, he toned down, as the Liberal Press said, under the responsibilities of office. People had tried to besmirch Mr BoAvling's character, but that had always been attempted Avhen a man tried to help the cause of Labour, no matter if his character Avere as white as driven snow. The other side, when it could not beat a man, found something against his character. If not against his public character, it manufactured something against his private life. They should take anything that w-as said against Mr Bowling's character Avith a pound of salt, instead of a mere pinch. His failure to secure reelection as president of the Miners' Federation at Newcastle had been due to the fact that his ideas were too advanced. There would be no difficulty in financing the scheme. He moved that Mr Bowling should be invited to stay in NeAV Zealand for at least six weeks for organisation purposes. The motion Avas seconded pro forma by Mr Jones, who said he would like to know if it was on the strength of his one address that it AA r as proposed to engage Mr BoAA-ling. He would like to hear Mr BoA\ r ling on several points of importance. He w r anted to knoAv what end in view Mr Bowling was going to organise. Mr A. Patterson said all prejudices he had had against Mr BoAvling had been swept away by hi*? address on Sunday. Mr Bowling did not profess to be a revolutionary Socialist. If Mr BoAvling Avere going out to attempt to bring the Miners' Federation and the Trades and Labour Council together, or if he had as an object the increasing of the membership of craft unions, he A\'ould oppose the motion. To retain him for only six AA-eeks Avould be no good to Labour and no good to Mr BoAvling. They Avanted him to go out to organise a neAV body, not to kill the craft unions, but to SAvalloAv them up; not to go to the Government for a new Arbitration Act, but to tell the Government that the Arbitration Act Avas not Avanted. The organisation, should not bo made too open. If a Labour

Party AAere going to succeed it should be restricted to wage-earners. That seemed to be Mr BoAA-ling's opinion, too. The time stated in the motion Avas too short, and ab least Mr BoAvling should be kept until after the elections. Mr F. H. Cook said that Mr Boavling had visited the dominion to lecture on behalf of the NeAV Zealand Federation of Labour, and he had almost accomplished his object. The object of the New Zealand Federation of Labour was to organise the workers so that they Avould be strong enough to fight for themselves and to do aAvay with the Arbitration Act, Avhich had outlived, its usefulness. The Federation's opinion w-a« that the Avorkers should not fight politically until they Avere strong enough. Mr Laracy said that Mr Bowling Avas wanted to heal the breaches between the various brands of Avorkers. Mr Bowling should educate the Labourites, who might then be prepared to join the Nevr Zealand Federation of Labour. Mr M. Badger said it Avas pitiable to hear that Labour Avas decrepit and a cripple, and that Mr Bowling" was to be asked to bind up its wounds. The first thing he should do Avas to organise the Labour leaders. He Avould like to see the correspondence in the " Lyttelton Times" between Labour men deleted. Mr BoAvling could not do the Avork expected, of him in six weeks, six months, or six years. Mr L. R. Wilson said that it Avould take Mr Bowling more than six years. He could organise industrially, but he could not do it before the elections. Mr BoAvling could not heal the breach between the tAvo Federations. One was out for Socialism Avith the destruction of capitalism, and the Labour Party wanted to mend the system. He could organise the union by first proving the fallacy of small unions, and Avhen he had got them into one large federation he could, be sent out to organise the Avorkers. The movement throughout the world was for industrial organisation, and political action was a mere secondary thing. He did not think that Mr Bowling would be the political Moses to lead the workers out of He had not sufficient magnetism to arouse the necesary enthusiasm. On Sunday, Avith a sympathetic audience, he had not stirred his hearers to any great extent. Mr D. G. Sullivan said that Mr Boivling Avas devoted to the cause of industrial unionism. The Trades and Labour Council Aras opposed to the industrial unionism as advocated by Mr Bowling, but prepared to rely on trade unionism Avith an improved Arbitration Act and political action. They all desired a solidarity of Labour., but it seemed almost an impossibility at present. The fight betAveen the bodies Avould have to go on until the right principles triumphed. He had received a communication from a gentleman who had taken an active part in Labour matters in Christchurch and also in England, and he had said that Tom Mann's Industrial World Workers teaching had fallen flat, and that seemed a direct denial of Mr Wilson's statement. He could not support Mr BoAvling's appointment on those lines. The dictum of the Federation of Labour to the Trades and Labour Council had been that it should throAV over the principles it stood for at present and join the Federation. The Council could not do that, and therefore there could be no compromise. Mr J. Griffiths said that Mr Bowling Avas a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. He Avould have to teach its principles to do aivay Avith the Avage system and capitalism. The Avorkers should organise industrially. There Avjas no terrible hurry before the elections The Avorkers would be compelled to organise by the economic conditions —the management of capital being placed in a few hands AA'ould force them to it. Mr Cook moved as an amendment that the meeting should invite the New Zealand Federation of Labour to retain Mr Bowling for eight AAeeks to further organise on the lines mentioned in his address on Sunday, and that it should pledge itself to support him morally and financially. Mr C. M. White seconded the amendment, and said that the Labour Party Avas toeing the line of revolutionary Socialism every day. Mr Laracy supported the amendment. He said that Mr BoAvling could organise on the lines of his Sunday's address. Mr E. Kennedy said that the workers in country districts Avere prepared to folloAV Mr BoAA-ling. After the way in.which he had worked for the Newcastle miners they thought he AA*as the man to support. Mr Campbell withdreAv his motion, and Mr Patterson moved that the meeting should be adjourned until Sunday, when the discussion could be continued. This was lost, and Mr Cook's motion was carried.