LABOUR HEEDS ELECTION LESSONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17781, 26 February 1926, Page 10

LABOUR HEEDS ELECTION LESSONS.

IMPORTANT REMITS TO GO TO CONFERENCE.

A desire on the part of members of the New Zealand Labour Party to profit by the attacks made on the party’s platform at the general election last year, when Labour suffered its first serious set-back, is indicated by the remits which have been submitted for consideration at the tenth annual conference of the party to be held at Wanganui, commencing on Monday, April 5. The “ usehold ” land policy, which proved a big for the Labour candidates in the rural constituencies, is the principal subject of attack, no fewer than twenty affiliated organisations having forwarded remits dealing with the land question. Attempts will also bo made to delete the socialistic

objective from the platform, and to shape the party's policy along lines that are calculated to make a wider appeal than has been the case in the past. From the tone of many of the remits it seems clear that those responsible for drawing them up wish to see the party’s programme a good deal less idealistic and much more practical than has hitherto been the THE COMMUNISTS.

The constitution of the party has been entirely remodelled by the National Excutive, but no fundamental changes have been made. Some of the remits, however,, are designed to alter the constitution radically. Three remits, all from Christchurch affiliations, aim at the rcadmission of the Communists by the abolition of the pledge of loyalty adopted last year. These remits been forwarded by the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council, the Christchurch East branch, and the Christchurch Printing Trades Union. It is considered improbable that they will be agreed to by the conference. On the. other hand, the Auckland Labour Representation Committee has forwarded a couple of remits which are intended to make the admission of Communists impossible under any conditions. The other remits proposing changes in the constitution deal mainly with machinery clauses and with the methods of selecting Parliamentary candidates. “USEHOLD * NOT POPULAR. Of the remits dealing with the land policy, only one sets out definitely in favour of the retention of the “ usehold ” tenure as one of the planks. This remit has been forwarded by the Auckland branch of the Amalgamated Society" of Carpenters and Joiners. It states: “That no alteration, except such as is intended to make more clear its meaning, be made in the present land policy of the party.” Against this are numerous remits to the effect that the land policy “ be revised,” that it be fully reconsidered “ as a matter of extreme urgency,” that it be made “ acceptable and attractive to the farmers of our Dominion,” that the wording “ be reviewed with a view to mhking the method and purpose clearer,” and several demanding that the “ usehold ” clause be deleted altogether. i THE FREEHOLD SYSTEM. Quite a number of the remits on the land question offer’alternative policies, the majority of which make no attempt to interfere with the present freehold tenure in the Dominion, but seek to secure to the community all community-created values, and to the owner of the land all values created by him. If the number of remits on the land question is a criterion of the feeling in the party, it would appear that the “ usehold v policy has very little chance of surviving the conference. Another section of the platform which branches seek to revise is that dealing with defence. The present platform does not provide for any system of defence, and remits seek to include a volunteer system as the party’s policy. A remit from the Canterbury Drivers’ Union and the Ilelensville branch aims at the deletion of proportional representation from the platform. Compulsory voting is another new provision that is asked for, also uniformity in the system of voting at all elections. STATE OWNERSHIP. The Timaru L.R.C. has forwarded a remit asking for the deletion of the clauses dealing with “ State ownership,” and the Canterbury L.R.C. has two remits aiming at a big modification of this section of the policy. Five affiliations ask for the deletion of the clause providing for the inclusion of the. universal language, Esperanto, in the curriculum of all State schools. The Timaru L.R.C. asks that the plank stipulating a five-day week of forty hours be reconsidered. Among the resolutions to be tabled are two from Auckland asking that the ! party platform be reduced to skeleton , farm. One of these states: —“That, for election purposes, a brief platform, setting out tersely and clearly the immediate practical programme of the Labour Party, be prepared, used and stressed by all Parliamentary Labour candidates.” The Wanganui branch asks that “ the platform of the party be confined to definite steps toward the objective of the party only.” BRITISH SEAMEN’S STRIKE. An aftermath of the strike of British seamen last year is a remit by the Ilelensville branch, as follows:—“That the attitude of the party towards the late shipping strike be discussed at the coming annual conference.” .Other remits cover a fairly wide range of subjects. including one by the Palmerston North L.R.C. to the following effect: “ That the National Executive and the Parliamentary representatives be instructed to call upon all supporters of Labour at the next general election to record their votes against the trade which consistently used their organisation, both financially and otherwise, to defeat the Labour candidates at the elections held in November last.” MR AjRCHER NOMINATED FOR OFFICE. There arc three nominations for the position of president of the party, these being the Rev J. K. Archer, the present Mayor of Christchurch,’ who i has previously held the office, and , Messrs R. Semple and W. T. Young. Mr Archer has also been nominated for the position of vice-president, to- - gether with Messrs T. Bloodworth. C. 11. Chapman, 11. G. R. Mason (the Labour candidate for the Eden seat), • James Thorn and P. C. Webb. Only j one is required.