LABOUR PARTY CONFESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18690, 22 April 1924, Page 6

LABOUR PARTY CONFESS.

YEAR OF RECORD GROWTH, NEW GROUND BROKEN. SIXTY CANDIDATES IN SIGHT! [BX ' lELEGEAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDLN. Monday. The eighth annual conference of th« New Zealand Labour Party was opened this moraing, Mr. T. Erindle (president) occupying the chair, and over 100 dele, gates, representing 90 organisations and branches of the party, being present. In welcoming the delegates, Mr. Brindla said they could rejoice at the progress made, both in the number of adherents gained' to their cause and the prestige attained in political life. The year had been a phenomenal one from the point of view of the organisation of nevj branches. The party had increased by leaps and bounds, and Labour's sentiment was growing stronger and more reaoluta in every electorate throughout the Do* minion. This changed feeling was, due t<| a large extent to the work done by the. Labour members in Parliament. Mr, Wilford's party had become a by-word throughout the country, and the party led ,by Mr. Masscy was still blundering on, showing an inaptitude to deal with cur. rent problems of social and economic lifa that was at once astounding and tragic The past record of Mr. Massey's Govern* ment had been unashamedly and specifically in the interests of big landed and] financial groups. The annual report stated that immediately prior to the closing of last, Parliamentary session, the national secretary had placed proposals, before the members of the party in Parliament through which every part of the Dominion would ba brought into touch with its platform, and the result was shown in the fact thai brandies were operating in all but two of the electorates in the North Island, and in all but seven electorates in the South Island. Never in the history of the movement had so much new ground been broken in one year. The National Office Establishment Fund, inaugurated in March, 1923, and established at the Christchurch conference, had reached £1110 16s 6d. Sixty nominations of Parliamentary candidates had so far been considered by the executive, and others were under consideration. " The balance-sheet, which showed a substantial credit, -was read and adopted. Mr. Holland handed in the report of the Parliamentary Labour Party, and after some discussion a motion was carried that the conference record its appreciation of the splendid fight made by the members of the party in Parliament, during the 1923 session, in the interests of the workers of the Dominion, and that each delegate pledge himself or herself to work to ensure the return at next election i of. sufficient members to place the party lin charge of the government of the. Dominion.