Clerical Workers End Affiliation With Labour Party

Northern Advocate, 16 September 1941, Page 4

Clerical Workers End Affiliation With Labour Party

[Per Press Association.—Convrightl WELLINGTON. This Day. By an almost two to one majority •members of the Wellington Clerical Union have decided to end their affiliation with the New Zealand Labour Party. According to information received last night the approximate votes recorded were: For discontinuance of affiliation, 1300: for continuance of affiliation. 700. A postal ballot closed at 9 a.m. on Sunday and the count was concluded at noon, the official result being supplied to the union secretary by the returning officer yesterday. The union has been affiliated with the Labour Party for the past five years. At the annual meeting in 1936 l motion was carried in favour of affiliation with the Labour Party and the Alliance of Labour, the mover being Mr. F. P. Walsh. Freed from Politics There has been considerable dissatisfaction among a large section of members for some time, questions of affiliation and the payment of union funds to a political organisation being uppermost. A growing tide of discontent resulted in the formation of a revision committee which set about to have the rules reframed on a basis more satisfactory to the majority of members and to free the union from any suggestion of politics. The postal ballot just held was the first step in that direction. The union secretary (Mr. R. Hoggard). declined to make any statement last night.