LABOUR CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 157, 31 March 1937, Page 12

LABOUR CONFERENCE

Election of National Executive NEW VICE-PRESIDENT The annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party was continued in the Town Hall, Wellington, yesterday morning, the president, the Rev. Clyde Carr, M.P. for Timaru, presiding. Tlie following were elected as divisional area representatives on tlie national executive:—Messrs. J. G. Barclay. M.P., J. T. Jennings, D. W. Coleman. M.P., J. S. Montgomery, W. J. Rogers, <W. 11. Oliver, A. W. Croskery, A. 11. McKane, John Roberts, 1). Barnes. M.P., P. Neilson, M.P., D. Harris. The names appear in the numerical order of Hie various divisions.

Mr. James Thorn, M.P. for Thames, was elected vice-president from 29 candidates. Five mure members of the national executive have yet to be elected. These will be residents of Wellington. The national president, vice-presi-dent, and national secretary are exollicio members of tlie executive, the total strength of which will be 20.

Mr. Thorn takes tlie place of Mr. James Roberts, who after three years as vice-president, has been elected president.

Wellington was chosen by an overwhelming majority as the venue of the next Easter conference. The national executive was instructed to secure information from organisations conducting summer camps, the intention of tlie Labour Party being to hold such a camp as soon as possible. When t he conference resumed for the afternoon sitting tlie .Minister of Public Works, lion. 11. Semple, gave an address on tlie work of his department, lie outlined the steps lie had taken to liberalise the wages and conditions of the employees under I.ls authority. By resolution the conference expressed the ‘'utmost confidence” in Mr. Semple's administration of the department, according to a statement to the Press after the conference adjourned.

A remit sponsored by several unions reading "That, the conference restore to members of tlie Labour Party Hie right to associate themselves with the 'Friends of the Soviet Union’ ” was defeated by 470 votes to 31.

The taking of ballots is a long process at the conference, there being more than 700 eligible votes. Some delegates representing the larger organisations have as many as three votes, though none has more than three. Voting is conducted on the preferential system, which involves considerable work.

GREETINGS FROM MR. SAVAGE

In reply to a radiogram conveying fraternal greetings to the Prime Minister, Rl. Hon. M. J. Savage, who is on board the Aniwa, bound for London, the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party received tlie following message yesterday from Mr. Savage

“Mr. E. J. Howard, M.P., and Mr. F. W. Schramm, M.P., join with me in sending fraternal greetings to the conference. I trust, you will be blessed with calm waters, as we are. All well. Kind regards.”