Expelled From Labour Party

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30541, 9 September 1964, Page 1

Expelled From Labour Party

Mr A. E. Armstrong, a Christchurch city councillor and member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and former member of Parliament, has been expelled from the Labour Party by the national executive of the party’.

The executive at a meeting last month decided to uphold the recommendation of the Christchurch Labour Representation Committee that Mr Armstrong be expelled from the party. Mr Armstrong was not present at the national executive committee, and made no explanation or counter-sub-missions, as he was entitled to. He has the right of appeal against his expulsion to the annual conference of the Labour Party which will be held next May. Until that time, he must be regarded as a member of the party. The Christchurch L.R.C. suspended Mr Armstrong and recommended his expulsion from the Labour Party some months ago. The L.R.C. executive objected to Mr Armstrong’s voting at a Lyttelton Harbour Board meeting in favour of the board obtain-

ing a loan from the World Bank (International Monetary Fund), Mr Armstrong, at a City Council meeting, voted in favour of fluoridation of the city’s water supply. The Labour Party’s policy is against fluoridation and New Zealand’s borrowing from the I.M.F, Mr Armstrong also roused the ire of local supporters of the Labour Party by saying, publicly, that independents should stand for industrial electorates and that he might stand against Mr R. M. Macfarlane, member of Parliament for Christchurch Central. Mr Armstrong, who works for the Railways Department, is at present on holiday in Auckland. He has been informed of the decision of the Labour Party’s national executive to expel him.