NATIONAL PARTY CONFERENCE ENDS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1947, Page 7

NATIONAL PARTY CONFERENCE ENDS

^ri -Press Association

Bv Teleciravh ■

WELLINGTON, Juno 30. The prinei'.al feature of todays proemlings ut the nnniuil conferenee of the New Zeuhind National Partv, was an adtlie.-^ by the leadcr of the partv, Mr. S. G. llolland, who spoke tor nearly an hour and received an ovation from " delegates, says a report issued later. Mr. llol land said the result of last year's election campaign had vindicated ti ' partv "s metliod of selecting candidates by the vote of members m the eiectorates eoncerned. A great change had takea plare in the political situation snice '.he days of 1935-3S when the Government could niuster 6i votes against the Opposition's 19. The Government, in its legislation, had foilovved the principle of telling the people thev could h-'.ve mere and niore for doing less and less and the workers couid hardly be biamed for being influenced by >u.-h TT pblicy, even if they did not qr.ite soe liow it was going to i.e dnne. Today the Government had a vitinv majorit y of three 111 the Honse conipared witli 4.1 in its first term of I o'lice. Tiie National Partv had passed ! throug!: the preparatory phase and now i its task a.N ihe potential Government I vas'to ( . mince a fevv tliousand waverj ing »-oters that it was worthy of their c.iaibli-n -e. Many voters doubtless were iiiiluenced by ihe Prime Minister's grosslv unfalr statement in the election eve iinaid.-ast 1 when he took a monop- ■ >ly of the radii;) "that if the National :\.rty were eiocted the whole. of the 1 ••un'ry's '-ial legislation could be destr.iyed in the Ilouse in an hour or t wo. ' ' Mr. Hoiiaml expressed conlidencg that the National 1'artv would win the conlidenee af an increasing number of [ ele.-tors. He said Ihe Government's preI sent majorit v rested on four Maon j seats l>ut the National Partv, with the support of oue in three among the Maoris, was in 110 niood to abandon them. He tliought it proper, however, that the Maoris, if claiming equality with the Eiiropean population politically and reeeiving the sanie social benelits, shoubl Miare CMpuilly in the responsibilities. The foHowing resolution was carried with a'-clamatioii at the end of Mr. Holland's address: " 'ihiat this conferc.l: e .Li-knowli'iiges with appreeiation the very high standard which Mr. 11 oihunl, as leader of the National Party, Iias estabiished and niaintained in his ekvtion campaigns and 111 his Parliament itry dalies which have been devoted to the welfare of the country as a whole. ' ' The foilovving officers were elected: President, Mr. W. J. Sim, K.C.; vice-pro-idonts, Messrs G. M. .Smith (Auckiaml), A. W. Moore (South Auckland), .T. II. Mi-Ilroy (Wellington), T. N. Gibbs ( Ganterbury ), E. .T. >Sniith (OtagoHouthland); women 's vice-presidents, Mrs. ('. II. Weston (Wellington), Mrs. G. -T. Kerr (Otago-Southland) ; vicepresideut representing the Maori race, Mr. II. Marumaru. It was agreed to ho!d next year's "onr'erence at Dunedin during -the Otago centennial.