THE LABOUR PARTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 81, 6 April 1934, Page 6

THE LABOUR PARTY

DELEGATES IN CONFERENCE DOUGLASISM DISCUSSED UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF I Per rrcad A>»oclat’on. I CHRISTCHURCH, April 5. That organisations of relief workers would be welcomed into the Labour Party was a decision reached at the annual conference of the party to-day. It was also agreed that the party would welcome into membership individual relief workers, and all unemployed who believed in the policy and work of the party. Members wore urged to attend meetings of the unemployed and to assist them in securing a removal of injustices and an investigation of grievances. A proposal to have the constitution of the party amended to provide that a candidate for Parliament should have been a member of tho Labour Party for three years instead of at least two years, as at present, was defeated. Unemployment Board Finance. A resolution was carried directing the executive of the Labour Party and the Parliament members to secure a full statement as was possible of receipts and expenditure of the Unemployment Board and the subsidies paid by the board to private firms. Another remit condemned the administration of the Unemployment Act, especially the action of the Government in ignoring the provisions providing for sustenance payments. Other remits asked for a raising of the compulsory school-leaving age to 15 years, the abolition of relief works and the employment of men at present workless on productive and development work at standard rates of pay, for 6 hours a day and 35 hours a week, and the abolition of subsidy payments to other than public authorities. It was also decided that the party take every constitutional means to secure an early election, before next November, if possible. The Douglas Movement. Tho Douglas Social Credit Movement was discussed. The principles of the theory -were not discussed, and some of the speakers did not accept the theory, but it was stated that there was nothing antagonistic to the Labour Party in the Douglas analysis of the existing monetary system. It was decided that unless the Douglas Social Credit Movement became a political partv and nominated candidates for Parliament it was not considered that advocacy nf the system should be a bar to membership of the Labour Party.