BRITISH LABOUR PARTY

Otago Witness, Issue 3996, 14 October 1930, Page 28

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY

THE LLANDUDNO CONFERENCE.

PRIME MINISTER ADDRESS. LONDON, October 7.

After telling the Labour Conference at Llandudno that British interests were being looked after at the Imperial Conference, Mr MacDonald, who had previously described Britain as perhaps too quixotically honest regarding war deb’s, said: “We realise the necessity if we start trade protection of any kind of applying it so that Britain shall benefit and not merely everyone except ourselves. No single dominion Prime Minister would consider us anything but shortsighted fools if we did anything else. The friendship and understanding shown by •’he dominion delegates were magnificentSome important delegates told me they "ere appalled by the false expectations aroused in Britain by certain newspaper propaganda.” After suggesting that the motto for Sir William Morris’s new organisation should be “ Business on business lines,” instead of “Government on business lines,” Mt MacDonald expressed the opinion that if certain of the transactions of the conference were published it would appear that British industry would have lost many chances in the dominion and foreign markets by not taking advantage of their opportunities. Referring to the tariff truce, Mr MacDonald said: “If other nations think that they have got us bound and gagged because we are signing a truce they rill sc n find they have made a great mistake. The truce was signed only in order to allow negotiations to begin. If they are not successful the Government will certainly take its freedom and make the next step imposed by the failure of other nations to meet it?’

Describing tariffs as the oldest of ideas, Mr MacDonald said that they could not cure the ills of this generation by returning to the quack remedies of two generations ago.

October 8.

The most notable speech was that of Sir Oswald Mosley, in which he advocated the building up of the Home markets. He said that numerous devices were employable, beginning with import boards and licenses. He would even in some conditions view tariffs without prejudice.— (Prolonged cheers.) Mr Maxton’s amendment condemning the Government’s unemployment policy was heavily defeated.

NEW NATIONAL EXECUTIVE.

LONDON, October 9.

Mr J. H. Thomas lost his seat to Sir Oswald Mosley in the election for the new National Executive of the Labour Party. Mr Thomas polled the fewest votes of all the candidates. Cheers and laughter greeted the announcement of the result.

POLICY TOWARDS HEALTH.

RUGBY, October 9.

At the Labour Party Conference at Llandudno to-day Mr J. R. Clynes (Home Secretary) headed the voting list in the trades union section in the new National Executive. There were 14 candidates for 12 seats. The Foreign Secretary (Mr Arthur Henderson) was elected treasurer without a contest.

During the proceedings Mr Arthur Greenwood (Minister of Health) stated that the Government meant to evolve a national maternity service to reduce mortality in childbirth. He said that in Britain the mortality among mothers was higher than it is among miners. Every year 3000 mothers died in childbirth. The Government intended to mobilise every form of health provision and service there ■was in the country into a comprehensive scheme.