A.L.P. CONGRESS.

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

A.L.P. CONGRESS.

THE FAKED BALLOT BOXES. A LIVELY DISCUSSION. SYDNEY, April 20. The opening to-day of the Australian Labour party's annual conference was marked by lively proceedings. The election of officers resulted in the return of the previous year's committee. The conference, after a warm and lengthy discussion, endorsed by 154 roes to 102.. the executive's decision to exclude Communist delegates, and negatived, by 160 votes to 104. a further motion that all parties prepared to accept the Australian Labour party's programme be allowed affiliation. A further heated discussion followed over appeals by Messrs. Bailey, Buckley, Brameton, Sutherland, Minahan and T. J. Smith, former prominent members, against their exclusion from the movement in connection with what ia known as "the faked ballot-box scandal." ' The chairman road lengthy sworn and other statements made in the course of the exhaustive inquiry into the matter. These showed that ballot-boxes with sliding panels were made for use, enabling the results of the balloting to be. controlled. Straight-out denials or rebutting evidence of the appellants' statements were also produced. The discussion was not finished when the conference adjourned.—(A. and X.Z.)