Political Platform

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 36, 10 November 1911, Page 8

Political Platform

OF THE Gr-ey District Industrial and Political CouncsL

WE DEMAND—

1. A new constitution giving the workers of this Dominion full power to control their own affairs, and to meet the needs of their own life.

2. The trinity of democracy—the initiative, the referendum, and the power of recall. 8. One vote one value on a true basis of Proportional Representation, and a Single Chamber Parliament. • 4. That all elections to all public administrative councils and boards shall be by Parliamentary franchise. 5. That no public administrative council or board shall have power to grant to any private -company tlie right to create or > hold a monopoly in any public service. Q. Equal pay .for equal work without distinction of sex.

7. That. the qualifying age for old ago pensions .be reduced to 55 years, and that all ...persons of .loss age incapacitated through ill-liea-lth or accident come under the provisions of. the Act.

8. The .nationalisation of mines, of ships, of oils,"of timber, and all monopolies —until nationalisation ends in giving the fworkoi* the full product of his labor.

9. That : all hospitals, maternity homes, receiving and orphan homes be owned, controlled, and ■■ ma intained by the municipal'or State authority., :' 10. The establish m&it- ; ; \of ■ a State Bank with 'gale* Hipto' issue. . • . ■ i-ight \\ of'^the' •■weitpier Or tenantr'to >■- against any owner br-owi/ers b'f -property allowing .the., same, .ss.rcpa.ir,.--or a« : insaßita^'-vconflition^f it be OTm~puisofy foF t_a~ 'M£U& officers

.secular education in State schools. That economic and industrial history be taught in State" schools, and that education be free from the primary to the university. . ~ •

17. That it be illegal for individuals to engage in the business of buying and selling lands and estate, and that all .such business pass through an office of the Government. . ..

18. That all civil servants have the fullest citizen rights.

Id. That the Government take over the control of colliers and- the ferry

service

20. That the Government cease borrowing except for reproductive works. 21. That the principle of co-opera-tive contract oil'public works be maintained, with 10s v per day minimum.

22. The immediate appointment of a Royal Commission, to investigate the present prison system, with a view of immediately reforming same.

23. Drastic amendment of the Compensation Act j Mining Act and Goal Mines Act in the specific direction of bringing female-..workers under the operations of the" first-named, and the deletion of the £5 per week clause; and in respect to the second-named, of amending the clause dealing with the Gold Minors' Relief Fund; and in respect, to the two-latter, of a.six-hours' day for-aM.-nVinesand abolition of night

SlllJt-S

24. Licensing.—That the ballot be taken on one .issue.:-, viz., .Dominion.-op-tion oil a bare majority vote.

2-5. Gold Miners.' Relief Fund,—With' a view •' of • this •■'Fund rig-spec; fie ally used only for the. bene fit of miners suffering from miners' 7 .coiiipTaint, and the widows' and orphans of those 'who 1 have died T .£ufferiiig. frowv, miners' complaint, bojiftf/ts dc,ri\ ; ed^ l .to >1 , equal, ~if) . .not more,' tlia h tlio se received by ben eiicikiv?s-. ; under ; ythei Compdiisatioii ■ Act.

,20. Thajuthe Crown lands be discontinued transference- of