MOVE FOR UNITY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 23 October 1945, Page 6

MOVE FOR UNITY

I RANKS OF LABOUR POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS P.A. WELLINGTON, this day. A demand is reported to have arisen within the ranks of the Labour party for unity among all political Labour forces, including the Democratic Labour party. It is understood that the Otago Trades and Labour Council, the Auckland Trades and Labour Council, the Auckland and Wellington Waterside Workers' Unions and several party branches have asked that attempts be made to achieve this unity before the next election. The proposal is likely to become an important issue at the conference next month of the New Zealand Labour party. Mr. J. A. Lee, leader of the Democratic Labour party, who has been in Wellington attending a conference of his party, was asked what his reaction would be if a resolution for unity were passed at the Labour party conference. "I do not think such a resolution will be carried," Mr. Lee said, "but I think that if it were and an honest effort to investigate the matter were not made, the party which refused would forfeit radical support at the coming election. A charge of vote-splitting will be made against those who refuse to consider the matter." In his report of the proceedings of the Democratic Labour party conference. Mr. Lee referred to the proposals for unity. He said he had told the conference that, in his opinion, no attempt at a rapprochement was likely to be made by any other radical party but, that if such a gesture were honestly made, the Democratic Labour party would be wise seriously to consider it as a charge that the party was responsible for the splitting of the Labour vote would be made in the days ahead. Many delegates said they believed an effort to reach unity of the radical groups would be made by big sections of the trades' union movement. The party did not vote on any resolution but decided that an active campaign woulu be opened in the New Year. Mr. Lee said he intended to engage in a New Zealand tour early next year. The party endorsed the abolition of the country quota, nationalisation of the Bank of New Zealand and the commencement of endowment of the family, Mr. Lee said. He added that all of these had appeared in the Democratic Labour party's 1943 manifesto. The following officers were elected: President, Mr. L. Frame; vice-presi-dent, Mrs. J. A. Lee; secretary, Mr. F. M. Earle; executive, Messrs. J. A. Lee, Norman Douglas, L. Wheatley, H. Vaughan and G. Blackler.