GENERAL ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 94, 22 April 1935, Page 8

GENERAL ELECTION

LABOUR'S PROSPECTS J

MR. ARMSTRONG'S ADDRESS

A UNITED FRONT

Considerable importance is attached by the Labour Party to its nineteenth annual conference, which opened in the Trades Hall today. In his presidential address, Mr. H. T. Armstrong, M.P., expressed the view that the prospects of Labour being successful at the polls were never brighter. The business of the conference was of far-reaching importance and much depended upon the result of the deliberations. "My first duty is to extend to delegates assembled at this conference a hearty welcome," said Mr. Armstrong, "and to express a wish that your deliberations and decisions 'will so cement the bonds of unity that victory will be assured, and that the next Government will be a Labour Government. At the last conference it was decided that this conference be devoted entirely to (1) discussion of Labour's plan for New Zealand, and (2)' discussion of method and means of returning Labour to power, and carrying out Labour's^ plan. Your executive has gone carefully into the matter, and has appointed special committees which have drafted proposals for your consideration, which proposals may be adopted, amended, or rejected in accordance with the wish of the majority of delegates assembled. PARTY'S CHIEF OBJECT. "Although production has enormously increased, and we are informed that there is distinct evidence of a return to prosperity, there is no evidence of increased prosperity reflecting itself in the homes of the working people. To raise the standard of life of the men and women who do the useful and necessary work of the country, is the chief object of our party. This cannot be accomplished while our monetary system,' is left to the undisputed control of profiteers, who operate it'in the interests of profit without consideration of the interests of the mass of the people. The"re can be no real prosperity until the control of the credit and currency is divorced from the system of private profit and trans 1 ferred to a Government responsible to the people of the Dominion. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. "As national president1 my duties have made it necessary for me to visit nearly every part of the North and South Islands, and I have had an opportunity of discussing the political situation with all classes of people, and I am firmly of opinion that the prospects of Labour being successful at the polls were never brighter. lam also of opinion that if the election had taken place at the proper time, in November last, there would have been a crushing defeat of the Government. The Government also thought so, which is the only reason why the elections were postponed for a year. If Labour does not win at the next election there is grave danger of democratic government being overthrown in favour of some kind of dictatorship. With Fascist rule in so many of- the Continental countries, with the international war-mongers working to plunge the world into another war, one wonders whether.' civilisation itself can be saved if the capitalist system of exploitation, greed, and robbery is not soon superseded by one which has for its objective the lifting of the general standard of living and economic freedom for all who are willing to render social service. "Our Government seems to be acting as the willing tool of the war gods and are going military mad. They have this year increased the Defence Vote enormously, while at the same time thejUhave reduced the vote for education. There seems to be no scarcity of money when it is needed for the destruction of human life, but it is not available for the purpose of feeding hungry children and to preserve life. , "LABOUR MUST WIN!" "It will not be necessary for me to remind delegates that the decisions of this conference will be anxiously awaited by many. thousands of loyal Labour supporters in this country, who are looking to this party to rescue them from a life of misery and want, and this is surely possible at a time when there is an abundant supply of everything which the human family needs, and which the people have produced by their own labour. s "There never was a time in the history of our country, when the business of the conference was of such farreaching importance, and when so much depended upon the result of our deliberations. The cause' of suffering humanity is appealing to us for <help, and only a united effort on our part can render 'that help. If we leave this conference determined to show a united front to the common enemy, no power in this country can withstand us. In the unity of Labour rests the hope of the world."