LABOUR'S CLAIM.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 94, 21 April 1924, Page 5

LABOUR'S CLAIM.

— m j NOT THE SHADOW OF A SHADE, j ACHIEVEMENTS REVIEWED. THE REPARATIONS REPORT. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, April 20. Unusual interest centred in the speech by the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, in connection with the annual conference of the Independent Labour party at York. Mr. Mac Donald declared ..that since January Labour had become bigger—not in size but in mind. The party and the Cabinet were both doing well. He denied the dictum that Labour was in office but not in power. The Prime Minister nliuded to the conference with the Russian representatives in London. This, he said, followed years of misunderstanding and mischief which had not produced a brass farthing for Russia's creditors, but had produced unemployment and poverty for hundreds of British families. Mr. Mac Donald was asked: "Is Singapore still being pursued?" He declared: "We are in office with the power of Government. We have got to grips with the housing problem. A scheme is beiris. drawn up to provide houses that it will be a pleasure for people to live in." Mr. Mac Donald said he was glad to find the country behind him.in the view that the, reparation experts' reports ought to be taken as a whole. There were things in them that he disliked, but. if they began to raiseapiattcrs of i detail Franco, Belgium ana Germany would do the same, and they would be exactly where they started. The Prime Minister added: "Here is Europe's chance. Put the plan into i operation all at once and all together, then, when that is done, go on and finish the job and bring peace and secur-1 ity to the Continent." He urged that their attitude should be to accept Germany's word. He stated that the greatest danger Germany now offered was industrial deterioration, not the danger of arms.—(Reuter.)