LABOUR CONFERENCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 October 1925, Page 9

LABOUR CONFERENCE

CLOSER RELATIONSHIP.

BRITISH COMMONWEALTH! CONTROL OF FOOD SUPPLIES. at GABLE—PiiJBSS ASSOCIATION, —GOP V BIGHT , Received Oct. 1, 1.15 p.m. iatNDON, teept. 30. The Labour come*erne auoptecl a resolution, moved toy Mr. dynes, urging that steps be t alien to ensure a. t-ioser political and economic relationship between Britain, India, and tile seli-go.erning dominions and the otiie, cstaies in tue joritish commonwealtn or nations, requesting a survey or the land resources ox the Empire and the training or emigrants. Tne resolution condemned, capitalistic exploitation. -oi natives in the tropics, and demanded control or bulk purchase of food suppfies and raw material in the Dominions, in order to secure stable prices. It also urged the expounding or a scheme to encourage home production of food and assistance to Jbritlsn farmers. The resolution recommended periodical conferences representing the Socialist movement in the ontisn commonwealth. —Reuter.

MORE RESOLUTIONS. COMMUNIST PROPOSALS DEFEATED. THE UNEMPLOYED- PROBLEM. Received Oct. I 1.10 p.m. LONDON, Sep. 30. The conference carried the Executives resolution moved by Mr. MacDonald, declaring that- only upon avowedly socialist principles could: the wotkeiS claim a fair decent livelihood. This met with an amendment by Mr. Ferguson (Glasgow), declaring that it >v.as necessary to organise the workers for a vigorous struggle to overthrow the capitalist class. The amendment was overwhelmingly defeated..

The conference also carried a resolution declaring that ufliemjploymient wa«s only preventable by scientific coordination of the nation’s economic resources and industrial: undertakings for the public good instead of private gain, and demanding the national adoption of the principle of a living wage as a. first charge on industry; adequate maintenance for all unemploy ed and. their dependants; pensions for aged and incapacitated workers and widows with children; the raising oi the school leaving-age to sixteen, with the addition of maintenance giants, the provision for .training unemployed : demanding -the Government to take steps to assist in the revival of overseas trade and closer relations with Ruiseia. <r

The conference overwhelmingly defeated a Communist motion to refer back a paragraph in the Executives ieporfc dealing with unemployment. Mi. Gallagher (Paisley) .submitting a motion which asserted that the movement was being handed over to the middle classes. Mr. MacDonald, in replying, said that it was a libel to say that Labour leaders had blank cheques from Moscow. It was time such slanders were faced. He declared that nobody was less entitled to point a finger of scorn at himself or anyone else from the viewpoint of a vulgar display of wealth or riotous 'living than the present British Communist leaders. The left-wingers’ attack on Mr MacDonald in connection with the Zinovieff letter proved a fiasco, Labour conference composite resolution on the subject, demanding, inter alia that an apology be sent to the Soviet Government land to Zinovieff, being overwhelmingly rejected by a show of hands. —Renter. A HEAVY BLOW. AT INFLUENCE OF COMMUNISTS. LIVERPOOL "RESOLUTIONS. Received Oct-. 1, 12.10 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 30. The Daily News says that the Liverpool resolutions are a heavy blow at the influence which Communists had laboriously acquired by years of intrigue. They provide welcome evidence that the Communists are unlikely to succeed in their designs.—Sydney Sun Cables.' .