THE DEMOCRATS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 201, 26 August 1935, Page 8

THE DEMOCRATS.

MR. HISLOP LEADER POLICY OF PARTY. GENERAL OUTLINE ISSUED. MR. VEITCH DEPUTY-LEADER. The official announcement that Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, C.M.G., Mayor of Wellington, will lead the Democrat party was made to-day, when the main planks of the new party's platform were also made public. The announcements follow a conference of the party's candidates held in Wellington last week.

At the opening of the conference, according to the official report now supplied, Mr. Hislop was elected chairman and Dr. G. J. Adams, of Wanganui, deputy-chairman. On the second day of the conference Mr. Hislop was selected as leader of the new party, and the choice was enthusiastically received by all the candidates. It was decided that two deputyleaders should be appointed one in the South Island and one in the North. Mr. W. A. Veitch, M.P., of Wanganui, was selected as deputy-leader for the North Island; but the selection of a leader for the South Island was deferred. "Attempts to Wreck Fail." "The conference was in every way a complete success," says the official report of the proceedings. "The party has now been definitely launched. The strenuous efforts that have been made to wreck it have all completely failed and the party will go to the polls in full strength, with a complete complement of candidates, and a most able and distinguished leader. The conference was marked by absolute loyalty and enthusiasm on the part of all candidates." At the conclusion of the conference the following resolution was carried unanimously: "That all candidates of this Democrat conference assembled in Wellington wish to place on record their unanimous and unswerving loyalty to their distinguished statesman-leader, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, and they extend to him their whole-hearted co-operation in the fullest sense of the term; and further affirm their resolute determination to ensure the return of the party at the polls and the establishment of a Government on a sound and democratic basis in the true interests of the people as a whole, including the Maori race." During the conference a presentation was made to Mr. A. E. Davy, the chief executive officer of the party's organisation.