THE WELFARE LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1919, Page 5

THE WELFARE LEAGUE.

OONPEENCE. OF DELEGATES. "THE PARTING OF THE WAYS." By. Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, July A. A conference of delegates of ,the newly-formed Welfare League opened to-day. "Mr, C. P. Skerrett presided, and in welcoming the delegates, said at a preliminary conference held in Wellington, it was found that there.was a great body of men who felt it was time action was taken to curb the activities of extreme and revolutionary Labor. In his address, Mr. Skerrett said the organisation had come none too soon, in fact, it had been needed for many years. For years past a considerable section of the community, what he termed the "plain men," had been practically unrepresented, because they had no unity, no organisation, and no common voice. The blame was largely their own,', as no section of the community could obtain its due weight in the council; of the nation unless organised, and the league aspired to unite all disinterested and moderate, sane and responsible thought. A crista had arrived when these men must take their part in the politics of the country. . Mr. Skerrett, continuing, dealt with the great strides made by the Labor Party in New Zealand, and said that unfortunately Labor had been, captured by leaders with extremist and revolutionary views. The country had come to the parting of the ways, and the people the League represented must either stand by supinely when their rights were threatened, their property imperilled and the Government of the country planed in unworthy hands, or thev must stand shoulder to shoulder with the League. The crisis was emphasised by the purposes and aims of the so-called 'Labor Party. Nojisane man could have any objection to combinations of Labor for the purpose of safeguarding their rights and interests, or even to promote their legislative interests, but the ambitions of trades unions had long vaulted past that. Tradeunionism »s it was organised by the Labor Party and existed in New Zealand was in command of the situation and was able to defy, and was defying, the laws of the country. Not content with direct action they now sought to control the whole civic and political administration of the country, and wore running members for city and borough councils and Parliament with the object of governing the Dominion by 'one class in the interests of one class. Over and over again the most prominent leaders had announced their approval of the activities and doctrines of the 1.W.W., Bolshevism, and of the reign of terror in Russia, and he asked; "Are you prepared to entrust the government of the country to such hands as these?" He referred to the' Labor Party's manifesto that the peace terms imposed on Germany were too severe, and ridiculed the idea that the men who issued it were in a position to judge what should be done with the Germans. Later. Mr. Skerrett said the price of labor of men and women roust not be determined as a mere commodity by purely market considerations: Labor consisted of flesh and blood, and it was impossible that the health, welfare, and happiness of the human beings, essential to the economy of the Commonwealth should be determined merely by the laws of supply and demand. The scheme for the betterment of the worker must make for the elimination of strikes and the restriction of output, also for the prevention, as well as the settlement, of trade disputes. Increased production was essential if the Commonwealth was not to retrogress. He advocated that casual labor should be reduced to a minimum as, to his mind, it was a fruitful source of unrest. Dealing with the part the State should play in private enterprise, Mr. Skerrett said the nationalisation, unless in exceptional cases, was unwise, and was no remedy for the evils it was hoped to suppress. State concerns could not be carried out with the same efficiency as privately controlled businesses, and any loss was passed on to the public purse. Referring to the cost of living, Mr. Skerrett said the real remedy was increased production, for everything that tended to increase the production of the country tended to increase the purchasing power of the sovereign. Wellington, July 6. The. Welfare League Conference discussed settlement of land at length, and added the following planks to the platform: That a more vigorous policy be pursued in acquiring Native land, necessary provision being made for the income of said land being applied for the benefit of the Natives; the complete revision of the principles which govern the valuation of land; some control by the State over the resale of agricultural and pastoral land, with a view to checking speculation. The following officers were elected: President, Mr. C. P. |Skerrettj vipepresident, .Major Lusk (Auckland); H. Okey (Palmerston North), C. M. Qllivier (Christchurch), E. H. Williams (Hastings), James Begg (Dunedin), J. McLebd (New Plymouth); national executive, Major Lusk, 0. Gresson, J. Linklater, E Kellet, J. B. Waters, J. B. Macßwan, A. Mcintosh, H. Mainland, R. Burns, and Durward. The conference, has concluded.