LABOUR PARTY
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
A RECORD ATTENDANCE
OPENING SESSION
Over 600 delegates, a record number1 since the conferences were established, are attending the twenty-third annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party, which opened in the Town Hall, Wellington, this morning. Mr. James Roberts (Wellington), the national president, presided and opened the conference.
Mr. J. O. Johnson, president of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee, welcomed the visiting delegates to Wellington and to the conference.
Fraternal messages were received from the Australian Labour Party, the New South Wales branch of the party, the Hon. F. Langstone, who is on his way to Geneva, Mr. Ben Tillett, and Mr. W. J. Rodgers, Mayor of Wanganui. Good will greetings were delivered to the conference by the Hon. R. A. King, M.L.A., president of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labour Party, who attended the recent conference of the Federation of Labour, and by Mr. W. Riddiford, representing the Australian Miners' Union and the Australian Labour Party.
All members of Cabinet in Wellington were present at this morning's session. This afternoon Mr. Savage presented the report of the Parliamentary Labour Party, and tomorrow night he will speak at the dance for delegates and otner visitors to be held in the Town Hall.
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS
The enthusiastic support received by Mr. Savage during the election was due to the lifting of New Zealand out of the morass of economic depression, and making it and its' people the most happy and prosperous in the world, said Mr. Roberts in his presidential address. "We have passed through a year of intense activity within the Labour organisation, a year in which every man and woman connected with it have. played i their part, and of the results of this activity, we can all be proud," he continued. "A mandate to proceed with the policy of Labour we know will mean economic security, better living standards for the people, and a greater measure of general prosperity."
Referring to the 1938 election campaign, Mr. Roberts said that all had learned a great deal during the last twelve months. The conference had a duty to perform to itrepare for the next General Election, and see to it that they could give a definite reply to attacks on the Labour Party.
If there were any who thought the policy of the Government was not being implemented, he asked them to compare the conditions of the people today with those of 1933, 1934, and 1935, to study the unemployment figures, ttjg buying power, and the happiness and prosperity of the people. An economic transformation must be admitted. There was never a Government in any part of the world which accomplished so much by way of social legislation during the comparatively short period. Legislation providing for social security was enacted last session. It would remain a monument to Mr. Savage and his Government.
Turning to the future, Mr. Roberts said that the opponents of Labour did not relish its victory, and were doing all they could to embarrass the Government in its administration. With the election of a Labour Government, people, and particularly trade unionists, had added responsibilities, for the standard of life largely depended on those who produced goods and rendered service.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF WORKERS,
"May I remind the delegates that we can only obtain a standard of living in ratio to our own productive capacity and our own ability to render service," said Mr. Roberts.
"Despite what may be said to the contrary by those who talk glibly of trade, we cannot get our standard of living from the people of another nation. We have, therefore, to produce it ourselves, and I have no doubt that if the wage and salaried workers of New Zealand are allowed access to our natural resources and agencies of production, we can produce the goods in abundance required by the people of the nation and give to them the services that they require.
"Those gloomy prophets who said two or three years ago that the Labour Government could not carry on are still with us. Despite that fact, however, the Government is carrying on. and the people of New Zealand are more prosperous and happy today than at any time in its history. We must give the lie to these gloomy prophets. We have demonstrated that Labour can govern efficiently, and we must show that the workers in industry have the initiative and ability to maintain high living standards for the people of the Dominion."
CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRACY
Turning to the international situation, Mr. Roberts said that everyone realised how serious it was. "We have nations who are aggressive and who are trampling on the rights of neighbouring States, who are utilising power
politics to enforce their will on the peoples of other countries," said Mr. Roberts. "I know there is not one person present who would not desire to live in peace with the people of the world. Democracy has been challenged. The rights and liberties of the people have been taken away, and in our deliberations we should always give some consideration to what is happening in European countries at the present time. The Labour Party is essentially democratic, and the fight for democratic institutions and freedom of expression has brought us to where we are today.
"We cannot forgo those rights now, and I know the people of New Zealand will defend their rights and liberties if called upon to do so."
BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT
It had been said that there were crave differences in the Labour Party; he had not seen them. There were differences of opinion in every organisation, but they were usually on nonessentials. There might be differences of opinion in the conference, but there would be no difference; whatever when it came to standing behind Mr. Savage and his Government. "We have won the government of a country," concluded Mr.' Roberts. "We have shown that Labour can rule, and rule efficiently. We have brought prosperity to the overwhelming majority of the people of New Zealand. We have ensured a standard of living to every citizen. That is the best demonstration of our ability to govern. There can be no turning back.
REPORT OF EXECUTIVE
The annual report of the national executive, which was presented by the national secretary (the Hon. D. Wilson, M.L.C.), commented on the endorsement given to the work of New Zealand's first Labour Government by the electors at the last General Election, and stated that the year under review had been a most strenuous one for all concerned and particularly for the national executive and the national office
"Never has the party been better organised than during the past year, and the enthusiasm of members shows no sign of falling off since the elections," the report continues. ''The number of members has increased by 41,000 and has now reached 203,501. The number of branches have increased from 442 to 620 and affiliated unions and branches of unions that are represented on Labour Representation Committees have increased from 636 to 788. Twenty-three unions affiliated during the year."
The political situation in New-- Zealand was good, the report added, and there was no evidence whatever; that the Government or the Labour Party had lost ground since the last election; rather - the contrary, but the same could not be said of the situation overseas, which appeared to go from bad to worse. However, if they in New Zealand remained true in spirit and in action to the ideals of democracy they would be doing what they could to uphold and preserve individual freedom and social justice.
The conference will conclude on Thursday evening. The proceedings are not open to the public.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19390410.2.58
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 83, 10 April 1939, Page 8
Word Count
1,284LABOUR PARTY Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 83, 10 April 1939, Page 8
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Evening Post. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.