LABOUR CHANGE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31366, 11 May 1967, Page 3

LABOUR CHANGE

14 Area Councils

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 10. The Labour Party conference emerged this afternoon from almost a full day’s discussion in committee on 70 proposals to amend the constitution and workings of the party. All but a few minor proposals were rejected by the conference, including several to give a stronger voice in conferences to branch and Labour representation committee delegates at the expense of union representatives. REVITALISATION The conference approved the report of an organisation sub-committee of the national executive which proposed the establishment of area councils in all of the party’s 14 divisions. The divisional area councils would “revitalise area organisation,” said the report. The councils will be set up by the national executive—renamed the Dominion executive—immediately after the next electoral boundary changes.

The conference had rejected a group of remits designed to establish five regional councils to govern the party in each region. This proposal came from the Porirua branch and Labour Representation Committee, and from nine branches and committees in Auckland areas where a regional advisory council is already operating. The subcommittee’s report noted that the constitution already provided for such regional councils where they were sought.

The smaller divisional councils approved by the conference, will be composed of representatives of each Labour representation committee in the area. AGE LIMIT

It declined to raise party membership subscriptions from the present 5s to 10s and, in line with its earlier decision to set a limit on the ages of Parliamentary candidates, the conference agreed that no member over 70 should be eligible for election to any full-time head office position in the party. Proposals to change the system for electing Parliamentary candidates were rejected, as was a proposal to limit union delegates to the conference to three votes. Branches and affiliated unions now have one vote for 200 members, two votes for 500 members, three votes for 1000 members, four for 1500, and an extra vote for every additional 500 members.

More than 320 delegates are attending the conference, which will probably end tomorrow. The Leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, Mr Kirk, will address the conference tomorrow morning.