LABOUR PARTY “LEFT WING”

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 6 March 1935, Page 7

LABOUR PARTY “LEFT WING”

EFFORTS TO “DISCIPLINE” MEMBER. DICTATION RESENTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 5. The development of a “left wing” in the Labour Party at Auckland has reached the stage at which, it is stated, efforts are being made by a section of the movement to “discipline” Mr W. J: Jordan, M.P. for Manukau, for contesting the recent Auckland Electric Power Board by-election after the Labour representation committee had decided that Labour would not put forward a candidate owing to the franchise being limited to ratepayers.

A “left wing” movement is said to have developed at Christchurch, where Labour members of the City Council provide evidence of marked differences of opinion at council meetings. It has recently spread to Palmerston North, •where the local Labour representation committee lias challenged the official candidate endorsed by* the national executive.

It was reported from the Manukau electorate to-day that a motion had been sent to the national executive of the Labour Party asking it to censure Mr Jordan for nis action in connection with the Power Board by-election and to permit the local branch to nominate a new official candidate for the seat. It was also stated that the national executive had declined to take action.

When this report was referred to Mr Jordan he declined to make a statement, but he indicated that he would resent being dictated to by any particular section of the Labour movement.