LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE— Mr J. Roberts Re-elected “Uncrowned King”

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1949, Page 2

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE— Mr J. Roberts Re-elected “Uncrowned King”

(SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT)

WELLINGTON, This Day.—The Labour Party conference this morning confirmed in office a one-man dynasty when it re-elected for the thirteenth term Mr James Roberts as president. Before the conference adjourns, it is anticipated that a crowning ceremony will take place and Mr Roberts will be referred to again as New Zealand’s “Uncrowned King.” Apart from Mr Roberts’s reading of the presidential report on Saturday the conduct of private meetings by farming and women delegates yesterday and the election of some officers this morning, the conference has done little more than decide that next year’s meeting will be held in Auckland,

Some Heat Displayed

Some heat was displayed this morning when this matter was under discussion. Two years ago it was decided in Wellington that the 1948 conference should be held in Dunedin, 1949, in Auckland and 1950 in Christchurch. In view of the election, this year’s conference was held in Wellington instead of Auckland, and the Aucklanders this morning contested the suggestion that the original programme be reverted to. The Christchurch delegates argued that it was their centennial year and reminded the meeting that Auckland had already robbed them of the Empire Games. By an overwhelming majority the conference decided on Auckland. This will be the first time since 1931 that the conference has been held in that city. Voting For Presidency The voting for the presidency was Mi- Roberts, 468; the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, 218; the Minister of Health, Miss Howard, 26; Mr J. Mathison, M.P. for Avon, 13. Congratulating Mr Roberts, Mr Nordmeyer said it was becoming traditional for him to do so. Mr Roberts cracked the first joke of the day when he said that the bald Mr Nordmeyer never turned a hair on any occasion when defeated. Probably the first real warmth will be injected into the conference tonight when the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, will present the annual report of the parliamentary Labour Party. Mi’ Fraser is expected to take the opportunity of reviewing the international situation with particular reference to world changes which have taken place in the last 12 months. He is expected to speak for nearly three hours and it will be almost impossible to make no reference to the burning question of peace-time defence. As the subject was side-stepped by the Federation of Labour, the conference delegates are eagerly awaiting some lead on the possibility of the Government agreeing, at least in principle, to some form of compulsory national service. 600 Delegates

Six hundred delegates, including 150 women, are attending the thirtythird annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party, which opened in the Town Hall, Wellington, on Saturday. The delegates were welcomed by the president of the Wellington La-

bour Representation Committee, Mr P. N. Holloway. A message of greeting was received from Mr James Thorn, New Zealand High Commissioner in Canada, and a former prominent official of the. conference.

The Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, Cabinet Ministers, and Mr A. W. Croskery, the president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour,' were' among those on the platform. The national secretary, Mr A. J. McDonald, reported that there were now 670 branches of the party throughout New,Zealand. The report of the executive was adopted by a unanimous vote, and an address was given by Mr Roberts. Committees were appointed to deal with the remits which will come forward for discussion.

Mi’ A. J. McDonald was re-elected secretary-treasurer. Mr McDonald polled 674 votes (620 last year) and Mr K. Boland 53 (68). Vice-Presidency Election Mr Nordmeyer was again elected vice-president for the tenth time. The voting for the vice-presidency was: — Nordmeyer 475, R. F. Barter 101, J. H. Collins 59, P. G. Connolly M.P. 51, Dr A. M. Finlay 31, Miss Howard 22, A. E. Waters 17, J. Mathieson M.P. 3.