LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 23863, 18 April 1941, Page 3

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE

REPEAL OF CONSCRIPTION VETOED MILITARY CAMPS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRES POST-WAR PROPOSAL [Tea United Paras Association.] WJ.CLLINGTON, April 17. A remit asking for the repeal of conBcripiion was considered and rojectod at the animal conference of the New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington to-day. The conference reaffirmed the motion adopted at the special conference last year providing for the conscription of men, materials, and wealth to the extent made necessary by war requirements. Another remit suggested that the emergency regulations should be repealed. The conference decided that these regulations were necessary for the compile control of the Dominion in connection with its war effort, and expressed confidence that the Labour Government would not operate the regulations longer than was absolutely necessary.

After a report from a committee on defence which outlined the measures taken by the Government to assist the Mother Country and to defend Now Zealand, the following motion was carried unanimously:—“ That the conference congratulate the Minister of Defence on the manner in which lie has carried out his onerous and highly important duties, has every confidence in the Government and in its ability to direct New Zealand’s war effort, and is confident that the Government will give ample consideration to the sphere of activities to which Now Zealand soldiers arc sent overseas, while giving particular attention to the requirements of the defence of New Zealand.” The post-war use of military camps to provide holidays for mothers with families was suggested in a remit. The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, said this proposal had been before the Government when it set out to establish military camps, and the lay-out of each camp, especially the three mobilisation camps, had been designed, to some extent at least, with the ultimate object of making them available for community health purposes after the war. The conference congratulated the Government on its foresight in this connection.

The Minister of National Service, Mr R. Semple, addressed the conference on the ■work of his department. The following motion was carried:—“That the conference recommends that the Labour Party unreservedly supports the Emergency Reserve Corps organisation, the Homo Guard, the emergency precautions scheme, and the Women’s War .Service Auxiliary as at present organised.” The conference recommended that the Government should again endeavour to make reciprocal arrangements regarding all pensions with the British Commonwealth of Nations.