LABOUR CONFERENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 97, 23 March 1940, Page 10

LABOUR CONFERENCE

VARIETY OE REMITS. ATTENTION TO FINANCE. There arc GOO delegates expected at the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party which will open in Wellington on Monday. The conference will be preceded b.y a meeting between farming and industrial delegates and several Ministers. This will give effect to a resolution of the 1939 conference. Mr James Roberts, who has been president for three terms, Mr J. 0. Barclay, vice-president for two years, and Mr M. Moohan, acting-secretary since Mr D. Wilson, M.L.C., retired from this position some months ago, have been renominated. The conference will l>e asked to endorse the joint statement on peace and war issued recently by the national council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, and-the .national executive of the New Zealand Labour Party. More remits have been sent forward on finance than on %nv other subject. Proposals include the public inspection of private company balance-sheets, national ownership of banks, abolition of indirect taxation of individuals, and Government grant on Dominion-made goods. Sixty branches or unions have forwarded remits on finance. Remits on finance for war purposes are among the most important, and 18 organisations have sent these forward. Suggestions are made for increased tax on higher incomes, issue of Reserve Bank Bills', interest-free war loans, war debt redemption by capital levy, taking of surplus profits over 8 per cent., debt-free money for war purposes, loans from Reserve Bank, relief from British loan commitments stated to bo harsh, national debt moratorium during war, prevention of war profiteering. excess profits tax during national emergency. The payment of soldiers’ allowances to unmarried mothers and their children is one remit under those classified “defence, peace and war.” There are proposals regarding soldiers’ pay, equal pension rates for all widows irrespective of the ranks held !>•• their husbands, basic wage pavment to widows and dependants,'plebiscite vote of conquered nations, appointment of a Minister of Peace, control of Press during war, foreign policy, after-war repeal of war regulations, use of .Expeditionary Force for police purposes, equal pay for women in war work, more stringent censorship, suppression of seditious propaganda, trade union representation on national security organisations, control of investments in production of munitions. FARMING MATTERS. There arc many remits affecting farmers. Two rural branches advocate the abolition of the Dairy Board and Meat Board, the reason given being that the British Government is now purchasing the Dominion’s exportable surplus. Other remits suggest the taking over of farmers’ co-operatives, use of ail available labour to bring Crown lands into cultivation, initiation of an egg-marketing scheme, extension of guarantee to all primary products, prohibition of bobby calf trade. There are remits for the abolition of the Legislative Council; also that no further appointments he made. The removal of restrictions on the appointment of women councillors is also suggested. The remits on the Public Service include the suggested abolition of the 1939 efficiency tests and the extension of the basic wage to public servants. One remit suggests an inquiry into the rise in the cost of living; another an investigation into the 1940 standard of. living for a married couple with three children. Failing birthrate problems are dealt with by a remit under the head of health. ■ There are remits from 11 organisations on social ownership. These invite discussion on socialisation and production of foodstuffs, social ownei- ' ship of key industries, land and minerals, industries manufacturing war 'materials, and the electricity supply. , The establishment of a chain of general stores is also suggested, j The remits are first referred to an appropriate committee, reported on by that committee to the conference, then discussed and voted on.