N.Z. LABOUR PARTY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 96, 6 April 1934, Page 7

N.Z. LABOUR PARTY

Conference Decisions UNEMPLOYMENT MATTERS By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 6. That organisations of relief worker* would be welcomed into the Labour Party was a decision retched st thn annual conference of the party to-day. It was also agreed that the party would welcome into membership individual relief workers and all unemployed who believed in the policy and work of th* party. Members were urged to attend meetings of the unemployed and to assist them in securing the removal of injustices and an investigation of their grievances.

A proposal to have the constitution of the party amended to provide that a candidate for Parliament should have been a member of the Labour Party for three years instead of at least two years as at present wm defeated. A resolution was carried directing the executive of the Labour Party and Parliamentary members to secure a* full a statement as possible of the receipt* and expenditure of Unemployment Board and subsidies p?id by th* board to private firms. Another remit condemned the admin, istration of the Unemployment Act, especially the action of the Government in ignoring the provisions providing for sustenance payments. Other remits asked for the raising of the compulsory school-leaving age to 15 years; the abolition of relief works and the employment of men st present workless on productive and development work at standard rates of pay for 8 hours a day and 5 days a week; and the abolition of subsidy payment* to other than public authorities. It was also decided that the party take every constitutional means te secure an early election, before next November if possible. The Douglas Social Credit Movement was discussed. The principles of the theory were not discussed, and some of the speakers did not accept th* theory, but it- wii* stated that there wag nothing antagonistic to the Labour Party in Major Douglas’ analysis of th* existing monetary system. It was decided that unless the Douglas Social Credit Movetuent became a political party and nominated candidates for Parliament, it was not, considered that advocacy of tbe system should be a bar to membership of the Labour Party,