LABOUR PLANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 133, 7 June 1929, Page 7

LABOUR PLANS.

BUSY TIME FORECAST

Relations With United States

And Russia.

MUCH DOMESTIC WORK.

(United Servieo.)

LONDON, June 6,

A political correspondent, who attended the conference of the Labour executives at Transport House, says Mr. Mac Donald's Cabinet is not finally completed, but will probably be announced on Saturday immediately after the new Prime Minister has submitted the full list to His Majesty.

It was decided at the conference to open immediately a great victory and thanksgiving fund to which all sections of the Labour movement will be invited to contribute. The fund is for the use of the party in carrying on the work of strengthening its organisation in readiness for the next general election.

Undoubtedly one of Mr. MacDonald : s great difficulties is that roughly 200 members of his party are seeking office. However, he is determined to decide absolutely single-handed who will be his Ministers'. He conversed with Lord Arnold in his motor car outside the hall

Lord Arnold, who will probably be a member of the new Cabinet, indicated to an interviewer that decisions already had been- made in regard to the new Government's immediate course of action. One of the first steps will be taken in connection with the relations between Britain and America.

The chilly handling of that issue by the Baldwin Government, said Lord Arnold, largely caused its defeat. Discussions would proceed as soon as the new American' Ambassador, Mr. C. G. Dawes, arrived in London regarding thclinlitation of arms.

Lord Arnold admitted that Labour was faced with great problems, but he expressed optimism and his conviction that the change was for the better. Short First Sittings. It is not proposed to prolong the forthcoming sittings of Parliament, which is to meet on June 25. The first duty of the House of Commons will be to elect the Speaker, who again will be Captain E. A. Fitzroy (Conservative). Then the members will be sworn in. That will occupy a week.

The Labour Government will not invite Parliament immediately to consider important legislative measures. The fact that Parliament is not equipped for serious business until the second week in July at the earliest makes it impossible for the House of Commons to tackle a legislative programme before the summer holidavs.

No legislation will be required to give effect to Labour's intention of pressing for the speedy convocation of a generai disarmament conference, nor in connection with the proposed re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Russia.

Much will be done in the domestic sphere, such as housing and education. There is reason to believe that the Labour party intends to do considerable work in connection with these and with the relief of unemployment by the administrative machine.

Labour also intends immediately to deal with widows, orphans, and old age pensions and unemployment insurance.

It is believed that Mr. Philip Snowden will greatly revise Mr. Winston Churchill's second Finance Bill. He is strongly opposed, to Mr. Churchill's betting tax arrangement, and also denounces the reduction of liquor licenses. Many' people doubt whether Mr. Churchill'i second Finance Bill will ever see the light. Relief From Office. The "Daily Mail" says Lord Justice Sankey has accepted the Lord Chancellorship. It is understood that Mr. Mac Donald intends to create a number of new peers to strengthen the Labour party in the House of Lords. Mr. Sydney Webb will probably be included.

It is popularly supposed that Ministers dislike surrendering office. However, the political writer of the "Daily Mail" says Mr. Baldwin and his colleagues appear to be considerably relieved, notably Sir Austen Chamberlain, who yesterday was busy weeding his rock garden at Twitts Ghyll, his home in Sussex.

Mr. Baldwin has started to play lawn tennis again and has purchased a friend's second-hand racquet.

Mr. Winston Churcliill has spent the last two days in removing mud from a stream in the garden at his home ac Westerham, Kent. He is now free to enter the city, and will shortly be offered directorships of a bank and an insur ance company.

Furthermore Mr. Churchill has signed contracts for journalistic work. He°has undertaken to write an up-to-date history of his ancestor the great Duke of Marlborough.