THE LEAVEN OF COMMUNISM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 2 November 1925, Page 8

THE LEAVEN OF COMMUNISM.

MR. OSBORNE AT DEVONPORT.

"The Communists have several times applied for admission to tbe Labour party, bub each time they have been turned down flat." So stated Mr. A. H. Osborne, Labour candidate for Waitemata honours, at a large open-air meeting at Devonport on Saturday night. "That's a lot of rot," said a member of his audience.

Mr. Osborne: It's not rot my friend, and here's my proof. At the last conference of the Labour party the conference decided to refuse admittance of the Communists by 103 \-otes to 8. Mr. Osborne referred to the Reform Government's action in reducing taxation for the wealthy, while taxation for the masses was not reduced Reform claimed great credit for increasing the Old Age Pensions from 10/ to 17/6, but the speaker claimed that the increase made last session was caused by the Labour party which had advocated an increase for years and years. The pensioners, thought Air. Osborne, should receive not less than 25/ per week. The present amount of 1//6 was only equal to 10/ before the war Many other planks in Labour's platform were then outlined by Mr Osborne, who said he and his party were in favour of compulsory compensation for workers', the abolition of the Legislative Council, a motherhood endowment scheme and a free State medical service Mr. Osborne was accorded a hearty and unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.