BRITISH LABOUR PARTY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5843, 9 March 1906, Page 5

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY.

CABLE NEWS.

GNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT,

FOUR MAIN OBJECTS. PROPOSED EARLY VISIT TO THE COLONIES. LETTER TO MR WATSON. (Received March 8, 9.52 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 8. Mr J. C. Watson, leader of the Labour party in the Federal House of Representatives, lias received a letter from Mr Ramsay MacDonald, secretary to tho British Labour Representation Committee, who was elected to the House of Commons bast January. After reference to the overwhelming success of Labour at- the elections, Air Mao Donald says:—

“Wo arc now anxious to meet our colonial friends with a view to coming to an understanding with the Democratic and Labour - forces in Australia, as wo consider this to bo tho next step which tho Labour movements at homo and in the colonics should take.

“ I assure you, on behalf of tho Labour party, that it has no intention of interfering with your fiscal policy. It recognises that this is a matter for yourselves, and yourselves alone. Nor docs it wish to interfere in any question which is internal to your colony only. Wo have four main objects in view, namely;— To rescue the Empire and tho Imperial spirit from being exploited by reactionary and anti-social classes at home. To make the Empire stand for peace and democratic justice in the eyes of the whole world. To study the various social experiments which have been started in the colonics. To get our colonial fellow-workers to understand the labour movement in the Mother Country and feel a share in its fortunes.

“It is probable that three or fotir Labour members will visit tho colonies this year, after tho Parliamentary session is over. During tho visit they will bo willing to address ono or two meetings in a few of the 'principal towns, and will bo glad to meet delegates elected by the chief trades and labour organisations to confer with them on matters of common interest.”

Mr McDonald asks if such a visit, supposing it can be arranged, will bo acceptable, and requests that some representative body shall officially make arrangements for receiving the visitors.