AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 64

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY

ADELAIDE, Juno 3. The commonwealth Political Labour Conference resolved to propose an amendment of the Constitution so as to give the commonwealth power to regulate prices and to acquire necessary commodities. The conference also resolved that an amendment of the Constitution should provide for the taking of a referendum at next election on giving the commonwealth Parliament power to abolish State Governors and , State Legislative Councils. After discussing the question of settling international disputes by arbitration, the whole question of international disarmament was remitted to a committee to report. The conference affirmed the desirability of a larger number of States, such as the Federal Government might grant. June 4. The commonwealth Labour Conference referred the question of placing the nationalisation of the sugar industry on the fighting platform to a committee to report. Resolutions were adopted in favour of fixing the minimum tax on unimproved lands at Is in the pound; of strictly enforcing preference to unionists; and of granting pensions to widows. June 5. The Labour Conference resolved to create a Federal Political Labour Executive, consisting of two delegates from each State, who would exercise administrative authority in carrying out the decisions of the Inter-State Conference. Upon a committee's recommendation the conference decided on a nationalisation of monopolies platform, the list of monopolies including sugar. The conference adopted a fighting plat form comprising more effective federation, the New Protection, nationalisation of monopolies, Arbitration Act amendment, amendment of the navigation laws in regard to both freight and passenger steamers, the restriction of public borrowing, electoral reform, national insurance, the initiative and referendum, and the abolition of State Legislative Councils.

The conference further adopted a committee’s proposal to establish a tribunal for the prevention of war and for the settlement of international disputes.