LABOUR CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 8, 10 July 1916, Page 2

LABOUR CONFERENCE

THE NEW PARTY

The Joint Conference of the United Federation of Labour, Social Democratic Party, and Labour Representation Committees was continued on Saturday. Mr. J. Dowgray presiding. ' Consideration of the constitution and platform for consolidating the interests of the workers, as submitted by the committee set up for that purpose, was proceeded with.

Decisions were arrived at for the foiv mation of the New Zealand Labonr Party, to consist of Labour Representation Committees, which will comprise the Industrial Federation of Unions, Trades and Labour Councils, District Councils, Social Democratic Party.'Branches, and other, properly-constituted progressive organisations which. subscribe to the constitntion and platform of the party. The first executive, elected by the Joint Conference, shall convene a conference of the New Zealand Labonr Party in Wellington, in July, 1917. It shall be the duty of the National Executive to take such, action as is deemed necessary to organise the workers into Labour Representation Committees for political action. Each committee shall have full power to formulate its own municipal platform, subject to the approval of the National Executive; also such machinery ■as is necessajy for the selection and limning of political and municipal candidates. No person shall be eligible for endorsement as a candidate of the New Zealand Labour Party who has not been a bora fide member of an affiliated■' body for six months prior to the date of nomination. OBJECTIVE. The socialisation of the means of-pro-duction, distribution, and.exchange. PLATFORM Electoral: Proportional representation, the initiative, the referendum, the recall, the abolition of the country quota, full civil rights to all public employees; the removal of the political disabilities of ifoomen. ■ 'Land.: All existing Crown lands to be added to the national endowment-; tenant's absolute right to improvements.

State Control: State bank, with , the sole right of note issues; State-owned shipping service; State control of all branches of industry; development of our present State coal mines, factories, farms, and industrial services.

Education : Free, secular; and compulsory education from the kindergarten to the university.

Taxation : Increased taxation on unearned incomes and monopoly for the purpose of removing the present burdens on family incomes; increased taxation. 61 unimproved land values; increased graduated income tax, with a curresponding reduction of indirect taxation.

Social: Extension of the pension system to coyer all incapacitated citizens, and increased rates of pensions. Industrial : The right to work;. the full recognition of unionism as the basis of arbitration in industrial law, and the consequent membership of ■ all workers engaged in^ the various industries. ■ Defence: A citizen army on a volunteer basis, with standard wages while on duty, together with practical measures for the promotion of peace and the repeal lof the present Military Service Bill. OFFICERS. The following officers of the New Zear land Labour Party were elected :—Presi-. dent, Mr. J M'Combs, M;P.; vicepresident, Mr. J. MTCenzie; secretarytreasurer, Mr. J. Glovesp; committee, Hon. J. T. Paul, Messrs. R. Semple, P. Fraser, "D. Wi Coleman, R. Ross, C. W. Webber, A, M'Carthy, B. Martin, 'H. ! E.,.Holland,. W Parry, Mesdames J. I M'Combs and Snow.

The joint conference then terminated.

The United Federation of Labour Conference resumed and ratified the constitution and platform adopted by the jointconference. The conference closed with a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman.