DEMOCRATIC LABOUR

Evening Star, Issue 23717, 26 October 1940, Page 10

DEMOCRATIC LABOUR

FOUNDATION CONFERENCE COMMENCES PROMISED “ NEW ORDER " BETRAYED ORTHODOX LABOUR LOST ITS SOUL [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 26. Opening the foundation conference of tho New Zealand Democratic Labour Party, Mr P. Connors, chairman of the Provisional Executive, welcomed delegates to “a meeting that would help in the building of a better New Zealand.” The Labour Party had become a machine without a soul, and the National Party was the party of yesterday. Democratic Labour would scrap both and start afresh. No matter what Mr Fraser, Mr Nash, and Air Roberts might say to the contrary, the party was brought into existence because money power secured the expulsion of Mr J. A. Lee from the New Zealand Labour Party. He believed the conference was of vital importance to New Zealand’s future. The Old Order had failed; indeed, it had Jong ago outlived its usefulness, and the Labour Party was elected to' substantially change that Old Order.

Democratic Labour represented the New Order promised to the people in 1935 and in 1938, and betrayed in 1939 and 1940; and Democratic Labour would allow no individual or group of individuals to prevent the forward march towards the party’s objectives.

The conference was the first step in the creation of a party that would give to the people of. New Zealand the splendid things promised by the Labour Patty.

The Democratic , Labour Party would give effect to the most vital part of the Labour Party’s policy —immediate control of credit and currency in the interests of the people.

Every Labour Government so far elected had fallen down and worshipped at the citadel of private banking; every Labour Government had been tolerated by private finance, and ruthlessly removed from office when private banking could no longer be served by its continuance in office. The Democratic Labour Party would not fail in its effort to make banking and finance the servant of man instead of his master.

The forces which created Fascism would not be defeated, said Mr Connors, if the soldier defeated Hitler and Mussolini and returned to find industry overburdened for the next few decades with insufferable debt. It was enough that we should sacrifice men and materials to destroy Fascism without being called upon to make a regular sacrifice of men and materials before the shrine of orthodox finance. When money power was the slave and man the master our peace life would be worthier, and in the meantime our war effort would be greater. “ We are starting afresh,” said Mr Connors. “ The Labour Party, dominated by a few political bosses and a few industrial bosses, has become a machine without soul, without a purpose except self-perpetuation. The Nationalist Party is the party of yesterday, the party of 1914, the party representing the banking interests. We have recruited, and we shall recruit, from both the old parties. Our mission is to scrap both the old gangs and start afresh.”