LABOUR PARTY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18817, 4 March 1931, Page 13

LABOUR PARTY.

REMIT FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE. “That birth control be placed on the party’s platform,” is one of the remits that' will be discussed at the fifteenth annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party, which will commence in Wellington on Easter Monday, April 6. Many of the remits deal with matters affecting the constitution of the party, several aiming at a simplification of method of selecting candidates for constituencies. The remit proposing that birth control be included in the platform of the party has been sent in by the Napier branch. Similar remits have been discussed at previous conferences, and rejected by large majorities. The thorny question of proportional representation, which was keenly debated at the past three conferences, will again come up for discussion. Last year a decision in the matter was deferred, but it seems probable that this year’s conference will probably reach a definite conclusion either in favour or against proportional representation. The North Canterbury Labour Represt ntation Committee has a remit proposing that proportional representation be deleted from the platform. Compulsory voting, the use of the Parliamentary roll for municipal elections and provision for absentee voting for seamen at municipal elections are other electoral proposals that will be discussed.

The North Canterbury Labour Representation Committee is requesting the conference to discuss the question of wheat duties, but it has not included any recommendation in regard to the matter.

Rather a novel suggestion is made by the Whangarei branch, which proposes that a public holiday should fcx? proclaimed in honour of Florence Nightingale. Several remits deal with the unemployment problem and the Unemployment Act. The Wellington Labourers’ Union urges the repeal of the Act on the ground that it is against the interests of the workers. Mr H. G. R. Mason, M.P., is the only candidate for the office of national president, but for the position of vicepresident there are four nominees, Mrs S. E. Snow and Messrs W. Atkinson (Wellington), H. H. M’Caw (Christchurch) and L. M’llvride (Wellington). For the position of national executive member representing the North Canterbury district there are two candidates, Messrs R. M. Macfarlane and G. T. Thurston.