THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1911. THE LABOUR VOTE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10499, 11 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1911. THE LABOUR VOTE.

There is a c-snsensus' of opinion that the fate of the political patrrtiiesi in New Zealand will be determiined on Thursday next by the way in which ■the Laibour vote may go. The Ward Adrninistiratiian has ma nope of retaining power luinifessi dt be by the wiill' of the workers, and the workers have no prospect of sieeurimg more than- three or four of the Parliamentary seats undesis. they are supported by the Reform Party. The labouring classes should'consider the position 'Seriousiliy before recording their vot-, es. It is certain that if they join j forces with the they wi" be in mo''better posit ion tlbani at present, aaid the, majority in Parliament will be so small that effieotliiv© legislation wflll be impossible-.' If, .an. tlie other haaid, they throw in their lot with the Reform Party, they will' haive the isatisfadtioni of knowing ihait the. reign of .autocracy -will cease, that tbe country will ha,ve access to the pigeon boles of the Big ] Buildings, and that the spurious liberalisin wall be supplanted by some-' •thing mere real and itatngibto. It .■will be urged, (that there is nothing ini common between (the Reform Party audi the masses. A review of thle (policy of tihe Reform Bairty will de'•monistraite that there is-very much incommon. One, of. the chief p&fmts in that policy is> a reduction, in the'cost of. Jiving by a revision; of .th©<oU6tom;s .ftajriff, ianiidi ;^h©; ,of, ganit' expenddixire. Another plainik w of an. mstora&pe l fund' ~againist ,s&cknesfi .and unemployment. Surely nothing iraore demiooratio thus this could lbe 1 desired. Then! we have tihe reform of the Civil! Service, so ♦that all l elaisse-s sßia.H be treated alike, : dTrespeoti'V'e of iro'Wgdon. or political ♦creed. The throwing open of Jfaifcive' «and otber lands* to im/meddat-e settle•mienit on: teasehold with the right of fl>ureihia<se will- /provide a htealiibhy oc<supa>tioii for scores of working .men at preyeaiit aggregated '• "iix - the cities and larger towns of 'the ©omlinion. •tAmdi (here' it \majy be stated tifont the '•report which && being Endustriouslliy circulateo" that .the Reform Party •would .wiiipe out the leasehold tenwe i& entfi'i-ely without foundation.. Mv Masseylias. stated unoquivocably that he .would retain; the leasehold' as a/ isteppffigHSitbne tB the freehold. It is.. Jieer. nonsense to ,tafe;ot7tte;freeliOil<l the •a'Senation of : thie 'iamdS; of "the peopfe. uio form of tenure can alienate • tlie (land so long as tlie Crown, retainsthe power of taxation. -yVihat is •wanted—and what tlie Reform* Party AV-iIU- give—is the.optional, tenure, .bo that men will be able to make their Oiwn. selection, according to their financial ability. Moreover, provision .will be made for the limitation of «rea and the prevention, of .aggregation. The workers need Lave no fear that the affairs, of the country .would be handed over to the large iiand-'lioMer. And, as for the general legislation wliich is> at present on the Statuitfe the Rleform Pai-ty iwould not. be insane enough, to repeal it. The. Advances to Settlers Office woulkl be retained. Tlie Workers'. Compensation, for Accidents' Act .would not be interfered with. The .Old Age Pfeaisions' Act would be made still more libertal. The Arbitration and Conciliation Act .would be made more effective. Homes Miould be provided for tine workei-s. Everytliing possibTe woaiffld be done to ameliorate .the tondataonsi of .those who earn .thleir, ilivelilioodi by the sweat of their ibrow, while eiicoiwagenient would be given to capitalists' to develop .trie&i, wthich. would mean the opening up of fresh avenues of employment. JKveryiihing points to the conclusion that, with a change of Government, conlideince in our magnificent country .would' be restored, and prosperity .woiui'id be as'sawed. The Ward Admin-usti-aitiiicm hasi run to the end ipf its .tether. It Quasi fica-feilted the confidence of ithe ooiiiiitrj' by acts of ex.travagau'fe and nepotisni. It lihi® no c)Jeai -l l,v-defined policy to offer' .tli,e :pe.oi>lie. 'lt is a>9 a isliip withbult a ruiclder, floating" on-, the sea; of- opportunisin. It i« the duty olf every man and woman having the intereifits of the Dominion- at heart to strike now for emancipation front the bondage of an aiutoeracy .wihildh in- the guise of Liberalism. Tho electee/:?''of Masterton owe n v duty to themselves and tlie Dominion. Upon, their verdict on-- TlAir?."l.''y next may depend the

future of tlhe country. Sentiment and sympathy, commendable though they be, must not be allowed to .standi between them and the destiny of the present and future generations. We appeal to- the voters of Mastea-ton to sink ,individ>uaility aJid personal ccmsidetrations., and to. repeat on Thursday the decisive vote they gave last week in l favour of reform.