"MIXED YEAR”

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32306, 26 May 1970, Page 19

"MIXED YEAR”

! Young National Membership | The last year had been a mixed one for the Young Nationals, membership as a i whole being lower than in i the previous year, said the I new chairman of the Young Nationals section of the Can-terbury-Westland division of the National Party (Mr R. Milne) in a report to the division’s annual meeting. Some of the previously wealthy branches had lapsed into oblivion, he said. Sydenham and Cashmere were about non-existent, and Papanui and University were struggling with few members compared with their previous successful years. However, this over-all decrease in membership had been offset partly by the growth of a very strong Riccarton branch and a strong St Albans branch. Because of divisional policy the stronger branches had tended to benefit while the weaker branches remained in abeyance. Mr Milne said a different policy would be adopted this year and some of the weaker’ branches as well as the stronger ones would be encouraged to increase membership. Discussing Young National representation at the party’s annual conference, Mr Milne said it was distressing to hear of the proposed decrease in the number of delegates. “It is important for the survival of Young National conferences that every electorate with a Young National branch send one Young National delegate.”