Mass resignations likely in Manawatu

Press, 27 April 1989, Page 6

Mass resignations likely in Manawatu

PA Wellington Two-thirds of the electorate committee of the member of Parliament in Manawatu, Mr Dave Robinson, is expected to resign in the wake of Jim Anderton’s defection from the Labour Party, a committee official said. The Manawatu Labour Electorate Committee’s treasurer, Maryanne Martin, said in Palmerston North yesterday the resignations, in support of Mr Anderton, would be made at a special meeting tomorrow. Mr Anderton resigned from the Labour Party last week and has called for the formation of a new party to represent traditional Labour values. Ms Martin’s husband, Dion, resigned as secretary last Thursday. Ms Martin would not name others to resign today, but said “definitely two-thirds” of the branch’s 12 delegates would go. She emphasised that the resignations were not related to any dissatisfaction with Mr Robinson. “I feel sorry for Dave,

but we’re all trapped in a horrible situation,” she said. “We feel very sympathetic for Dave, and it’s rather ironic that Palmerston North (represented by Mr Trevor de Cleene) will be relatively unchanged by this. “Palmerston North’s delegates are all staying, so it will be the same as usual there, whereas we will leave Dave ailing, although in no way is he like Trevor de Cleene.” Ms Martin said 16 of 22

members of a special workers’ branch of the Labour Party set up in the Manawatu area, of which she was co-ordinator, were also quitting the party. The workers’ branch had two delegates on the Manawatu L.E.C., and both would resign. The neighbouring Palmerston North electorate treasurer, Barry Parker, said there had been no resignations in the electorate since that of the party policy council member, Liz Gordon, last week. No more resignations were expected. Mr Anderton’s resignation had been discussed informally at an electorate executive meeting, and the consensus was that there would be no more defections. * “Palmerston North is a fairly moderate sort of electorate with a fairly mixed membership of university people, and people from the public and private sector. “There are no extreme Left-wingers and no Trotskyite types,” he said.