N.S.W. LABOR CONFERENCE.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 50, 23 February 1912, Page 4

N.S.W. LABOR CONFERENCE.

The N.S. Wales Political Labor League has concluded its annual conference, some 30(1 delegates from all parts of the State attending. The same policy of "hush" was noticeable at the Sydney Conference as obtained at Hobart.

Before the event, it was expected that there would be serious debate over some of the acts of the McGowcn Ministry, but the general fooling at the conference seemed to be that criticism would lie- unwise. Ono. wondered a little nt this, until it was remembered that the League is a purely political organisation, and most of tho delegates to the annual conference are chosen for their ability as speakers and expounders of the Labor platform. They are accustomed to putting the best before the public and glossing over the worst-in tin- interests of the party. Tacticians, the rMs-ates all are. end

to give tb-r-ni their due l-bey are years ahead of Ibe Lihc-als. Moreover, many delegates are ambit inns tlv.it some day they may be called upon fo light for scats in Parliament themselves, and are hence disinclined to heap ooutu.r,-°----ly upon the parly leader* and tlmir methods. The safe course is, of course. to show a united front to tho Libc-al enemy, to mako no admissions of failure or mistakes, ami io say to the public; "See bow wisely onr parly is governing. Trust us in the future and ivo will do still better. Our Government has given you State brickyards, timberyards. day labor, and in the near future intends to provide homes for the people who are being mercilessly rackrented by the. Landlords. Tlvey are also dealing vigorously with the need for population, and have increased tho immigration vote from JL2;1,000 to over double that amount."'

The leaders know well enough that the State brick and timberyards and the immigration policy are all calculated to smooth the ire and disarm the opposition of builders, farmers and other employers of labor, while the daylabor ordinance rcuians nothing, in view of the fact that Government departments are paying less wages than private employers paj for similar work.

To appease the rack-rented section, a largo plan of a model township was hung up at the platform end of the conference room as a guarantee that the Ministry meant business in regard to the housing problem, and the delegates were told that the Government is already forming the roads and streets and surveying the allotments for 800 dwellings, churches, schools, stores, etc. Other townships wonld be laid out in different parts of the State as the need arises. Thus the housing problem would be solved and the rackrentinu landlords checked.

Seeing that private enterprise built over 4000 bouses in 1911, and that the demand is still unabated, it is difficult to see how the Government is going to cope with it while it continues to introduce many more immigrants than it bnilds houses for. The Government proposes to spend, to commence with, £18,000 upon a model township fo accommodate 800 families, but at the same time it proposes to spend nearly ,CGO,OOO to introduce new residents. Hundreds arc being poured into the State each week, to live as best they can, and woo unto them if they have children. Neither employers, hotelkeepers, nor bonrding-houso-koopors want people with children, and the only result can be that they must find their way to tho slums to pig together.

If tho Government could build 800 houses a week it might bo doing something serious to meet the demand for cheaper homes, but 800 at odd times when a landlords' parliament cares to sanction their erection is surely a sorry attempt to grapple with a. serious difficulty. Nevertheless, the delegates looked at tho plan and approvingly held their peace, forgiving tho Ministry for its apostacy during the taking of the referendum in favor of tho nationalisation of trusts and monopolies; forgiving it for fining and jailing the Lithgow strikers, aud fur its various declarations that it was not a Labor Minisf;.y, but enf: which really represented all classes. The Ministry attended the conference, and (old the delegates that it is Socialist *o the core, although it does repudiate* tho class struggle, surplus value and t-.be materialistic interpretation of history. The party platform declares against the sale of any more public lam's, and demands that.'all unsold lands shall be retained by the State to bo let out on leasehold. Yet one of the first acts of the McGowcn Ministry was to advertise a valuable area of suburban land for salo. Tho 11)11 eonrforonco objected, and tlie llion Minister of Lands. Mr.

Ncilsen. attended, and cindoavored to argue the opposition down, but failed. Senator Rae and Secretary .John Grant gave the Minister a bad half-hour on that occasion, and be departed nonplussed. The Ministry then lay low fo, eight months, but on November 1 22 wild very quietly. 56 blocks of this landoriginally s'ct aside for workers' areas

No one appeared to notice what was done, so the writer called at the Lands Department and made sure of the fact*, afterwards in the press calling the attention of General Secretary Grant and the I/o-nguo to the Government's lapse. But they were not to be drawn. "Mum was the word. But the .Ministry, tearing that the matter would create an adverse feeling at the conference, bad the above-mentioned plan prepared and hung up where the delegates could have a good look at it, and all was well.

One reckless! delegate created a shiver at tho conference' by charging tho Minister for Works. Mr. Orii'iih. with paying lower wages than private employers. He thought, strangely it seemed to the Minister, that if the Government, was to compete against and beat private enterprise, it should at least pay the same rates.

The press, though excluded, got hold of the matter, and roaster! the iMinistcr, in tho interests of private enterprise. The Minister, replied, pleading ignorance of the facts, saying that had he known he would have found a remedy. Then Mr. Peek, the deb-gate, routed the Minister by reminding him that he could not have been ignorant of the fads, for a deputation had waited upon him last ()< toiler and placed the matter before him.

Anoibcr delegate. M.piio'-t ■■<] by Mr. .!. C. Watson. c-x-Prinu Minister of tlie (''line,on ,\ < alth. remiii.'b-.] the .'d.'llistrv el ;i ;,:•;.mile ll had mud" when it was in i. iiii-ird i', ai-i:- to i ii Mould I'csign \\!"i, ;< new l-.l ■'-~.: >r;t 1 Ail. vas pi'SSfd i;l i ;lie :-('(li-:i 1 ,li-l '. H<i: ill seats was arrang.-d. 'I In lichgate. >irLest rani'", JvSr. Wat Mil., arid i tlu-rs spoke '..'arii'ly upon tlie suhie.t. pointing out thai ]>o!ii'ical l.'onrsiy s! ou'd transcend <'very other sentiment, and that a juomise made to the i U: tunshould be kept. It would he disgraceful if they i-iung lw oli'n ;■ until they were hurled cut h\ 'in advrso vote. Air. Giillii.h ivpiied that they bad no intention of resipti;,-. Wbei, thoy had mail'-. 1 tie procaine ruorrod to. they were in diiiicuit.ies. bur- no-v thai tliese diflictllties Here over tiie I'll to keep the promise uas gone. Premier McGowcn lock a similar view, and also expressed sorron for himself that after 20 year* of struggling for po'Aer, and having gab.--, d it, he should be asked to abandon Ins life's work just when he might- .en.pi-te it. The majority sympathised with the Premier, deciding to let him complete his life's work—whatever t-hat may be. So far, "Premier Jim." has shou.ii a weakness ior oasy-goinc ; a fondness for Liberal company, banquets. Coronation trips, and moderate measures, which, if they do not actually assist tho capitalist class, at all events do not alarm them by hclpir.g the workers.

Judging by the two conferences this year, the Australian Labor Party seems to become moro hopeless the older itgels. There may not be an early split between the advanced militant and conservative s"< tions, but the former v."ill be compelled to withdraw aud join tho Socialist Party. The coum-i vativc Laborites, left to themselves, will probably fuse with the remnants of the Liberal Party, when the opponents ot the workers will be all in flic onr camp. In the not very distant future we may thus see the gradual <\timtion of tho Liberals, and the jKilitical battle being waged between Socialists and Laborites.

Already there is a tendency to "gettogether" amongst Liberals and Lab-orit-os, both of whom hate the International Socialists as a common enemy. Already Liberals and Laborites are agreed and combined upon militarism, the class war, and other fundamentals, and it is difficult to see any real difference between the legislation of the two parties. Both made the same industrial laws and enforced them by similar methods. Their financial methods arc similar, the Labor Party bring perhaps a little further advanced on the lines which both aro traversing. Both believe in tlie wage system, anil mako preparation for its perpetuation by recognising King and Court as tlie nucleus "of capitalism.

W T ben the different Socialist bodies are fused and strengthened by additions from the militant section cf the Labor Party, and the conservative. Laboritea and Liberals are driven into one camp, we shall probably sec a rapid advance towards Revolution.