Last Day Of National Party’s Conference

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27395, 7 July 1954, Page 13

Last Day Of National Party’s Conference

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 6. The annual conference of the National Party ended today after two days devoted mainly to the consideration of remits. The Minister of Housing (Mr W. Sullivan) addressed the conference in the morning, surveying the results of the Government’s drive to get more houses built. The president (Mr A. McKenzie), who was nominated by all five divisions of the party, was re-elected. A motion expressing appreciation of his services during the last year was carried with acclamation.

Other officers elected were: vicepresidents, Messrs J. Grierson, E. C. East, J. S. Meadowcroft, A. Burke, and J. A. Beck; women vice-presidents, Miss N. Cotterill and Mrs F. E. Burrell; Maori vice-president,* Mr C. Anaru. A proposal that the minimum subscription for the party, now 2s 6d, be 5s a year was defeated. A Hawke’s Bay remit urging the Government to consider subsidising life and accident insurance cover for pilots engaged in aerial top-dressing was carried by the annual conference. Mr A. McCready (Heretaunga) said that ordinary commercial pilots had proper runways and other facilities, whereas topdressing pilots had to land on “any old paddock, and some of them are pretty rough.”

Lyttelton Remit Lost A remit from Lyttelton urging the Government to adopt a more liberal attitude towards claims on the Earthquake and Disaster Fund, especially where only one or two small properties were affected, was lost. Opponents of the remit contended that its effect would endanger the stability of the fund in the event of a major disaster A Franklin remit asked that opportunity be provided to enable young farmers to take up unimproved land with 100 per cent, finance if necessary. Mr McKenzie said that the Government’s policy already provided for the objectives contained in the remit, which was lost.

A Waitomo remit proposed that where leases of Maori land are negotiated by private treaty the term be sufficiently long to allow lessees to finance necessary improvements, and not be limited to 21 years. Mr J. O’Halloran said that people were concerned at the amount of Maori land lying dormant. The finance companies were reluctant to advance money on the. existing term of Maori leases. Major H. R. Vercoe said that those putting forward the remit had their remedy in the Maori Land Act. The remit was lost The St. Albans electorate submitted a remit recommending that, in the interests of road safety, pedestrians be required to walk on the side °f “to road where there was no footpath. Mr D. I Round (Christchurch Central) said the proposal was intended to help pedestrians rather than motorists. Mr G. A. Nicholls (Gisborne) said that the Road Safety Council had not recommended the change, find there must be good reasons why it had not done so The remit was lost. . An adjustment of university bursaries and scholarships to conform with price increases and wage adjustments was sought by Mr A. H. W. Lilly in a remit put forward by the Tamaki electorate. Mr P. Brown (Remuera) said the present bursaries were not overgenerous, and many students worked long hours in vacations to support themselves at university. The remit was carried.

Courses in Agriculture J-he desirability of making. courses in agriculture available to a greater number of secondary schools was affirmed in a remit put forward by the Otaki electorate and carried A plea for the New Zealand wine industry was made by Mr H. R. Geddes,

speaking to a Waitakere remit urging the Government to grant more wine licences The remit mentioned the lack of retail facilities for wine producers, and Mr Geddes said that many New Zealand hotels did not sell New Zealand wines because they could make more money from imported wines. The Wairakei hotel had a wine list three pages long, with only two New Zealand wines on it. The remit was intended to safeguard a £1,000.000 industry, and the fourth largest primary industry in New Zealand. The remit was carried.

The conference carried a remit urging that where it was intended to build State houses, sections should be put aside for sale to private individuals. On the discussion of the remit the Minister of Works (Mr W. S. Goosman). said the department was already doing all it could to prepare sections for State housing, group Jiousing, and private purchase. The difficulty was to get labour and staff for the work, he said.

A move to seek a reduction in the State’s financial commitment towards the establishment of kindergartens was carried on a show of hands.

Mr R. L. G. Talbot (Waimate) said that if the remit was carried it would be a retrograde step in the education of children. Opposition also came from Mr G. H. A. Swan (Onslow), who said the party had pledged itself to help mothers, and part of the need for kindergartens was to assist mothers with young children. Mrs F. Burrell (Christchurch) said that a great deal of finance for kindergartens was subscribed voluntarily. Of .the 47 free kindergartens many were around Christchurch, and they were a great help to parents. Children under five should be cared for at home, said Mr Parr (Onehunga). Mr J. Crockett said the Hamilton remit did not advocate. a reduction in educational finances, but merely that users of kindergartens should contribute more to the cost. Arbitration Court A Ponsonby remit recommending alterations to the Court of Arbitration, and some modification of its functions, including abolition of general wage orders and retrospective wage increases, was lost.

The Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan) said he did not think a condistability sufficient to warrant the abolition of general wage orders had been reached in New Zealand. Mr Sullivan said there was no provision for retrospective payments in the law. They could be authorised only by regulation. No-one liked them, but there were special circumstances y ? ar - and he took full responsibihty for what was done. He had IcH the workers should not be penalised through unavoidable delay in the hearing of their claims. Mr J. H. Preston (Hamilton) proposed a remit that in future awards, the margin of payment between skilled a pd unskilled labour should be appreciably increased. The remit was lost A remit asking the Government to review the operations of the Totalisator Agency Board system was put forJi ard J > y Mr D - N. McKay (Marsden). Mr McKay said that many persons were very concerned at the great growth of the T.A.B. turn-over. (Wellington) said the snlVof 011 O 1 tbe i. T ; A ’ B ’ was the result of an overwhelming public decision in favour of facilities for offenm> S nat be< i ln ?: was “tended to 2!™J nate tieuhmakmg, which was a wiH h H g h ea J e £ evil than the TAJB - He said it had been very well conducted to the W Gov y ernment inCreasing revenue th^ T C A.i: W °^S g^lo n st the bookmaier -