LABOUR PARTY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20273, 6 April 1934, Page 4

LABOUR PARTY.

Relief Workers’ Position Discussed. CONCLUDING SESSIONS. The Dominion conference of the Labour Party, which has been in session in Christchurch for the past few days, concluded yesterday with the final morning, afternoon and evening Fittings. Proceedings, as before, were not open to the newspapers, but summaries of a number of interesting discussions were supplied. There was a discussion on the question of the affiliation to the party of organisations of relief -workers, and members of the party in Parliament and others stressed the importance of doing everything possible to help relief workers, and stated that the Parlimentary members and the national organisations would on all occasions do everything possible to help them in their present difficult circumstances. It was added that the party would welcome into its membership individual relief workers and all unemployed who believed in the policy and work of the party. Members of the party were urged to assist in efforts aimed at the removal of injustices and the investigation of grievances. It was reported that there were 107 delegates present at the conference representing 130 organisations. Planned Economy. The importance of considering planned economy was introduced by one of the delegates and it was unanimously decided to devote the next conference of the party to the discussion of Labour’s plan in New Zealand. A discussion took place on the definition of a worker in regard to the constitution of the party, and it was stated that a worker as defined for the purposes of the party’s platform and constitution was any person performing social service by hand or brain. On the point of the qualifications of candidates for Parliamentary elections, it was stated that there was a provision in the constitution of the party setting out that candidates must have had membership or association with the party for at least two years. A motion to amend the period to three years was defeated. A resolution was brought forward f">r the amendment of the constitution to provide that candidates should be given an opportunity of addressing members of the party before being considered in a selection ballot. The importance of candidates being fully informed in regard to the policy and objective of the party was stressed, and the remit was carried. The Douglas Social Credit movement was discussed, and, whilst the principles of the Douglas theory were not in question, some of the delegates were of the opinion that the movement had rendered a splendid service in that it had brought people of all classes of life to consider the flaws and fallacies of the existing banking and monetary system. The Douglas Credit theofy was not accepted bv members who discussed the proposal, but they stated that there was nothing antagonistic to the Labour Party in the Douglas analysis of the existing system, and it was decided that, unless Douglas Social Credit became a political party for the purpose of nominating candidates for Parliament, it was not considered that the advocacy of the system was a bar to membership of the Labour Party. Visit to Russia. A remit was submitted by one of the affiliations urging that members of the party should be sent to Russia to investigate the. results that had been achieved there in connection with a planned economy, so that the actual facts of the position might be known to the people of the Dominion. It was stated that it was not possible for the party to do what was desired by the remit, and it was ultimately decided to refer the matter to the National Executive to get all information possible in regard to conditions in Russia at the present time. A discussion took place on the difficulties that were being experienced by scholars in rural areas with proficiency certificates in competition with »be children in the city areas who had matriculated. It was stated that it was apparent that preference was being given to the city children. It was further stated, however, that full information on the subject was not available, and it was decided to refer the matter to the National Executive for full investigation as to the policy being followed by the Government in connection with appointments.