OPPOSITION PROTEST

Chronicle (Levin), 8 November 1947, Page 5

OPPOSITION PROTEST

UNION FUNDS TO BOLSTER UP NEWSPAPER WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. Tfie possibility of departmental em ployees wfio objeteed to joining the Bost and Telegraph Association being coinpelled through tfieir enforced memuersfiip of tfie association to contribute to funds for a political eause they did not favour, was raised by Opposition speakers in tfie House of Representatives this afternoon when tfie Committee diseussion of the Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill was resumed. Just before tfie luncfieon adjourn - ment Mr. Clifton Wpbb (Rodney) had moved an amendment to the effeet that no member of tfie assoeiation should be obliged to contribute to the funds of a political party unless tfie member exLjressly agreed in writing to do so. Mr. W. A. Sfieat (Patea) said there was at present a big campaign to raise funds from trade unions for the Southern Oross. An S.O.S. eireulated re oently to unions said there was urgent need for £25,000 witfiin four weeks, foi £40,000 in eight weeks, and for £5000 weelcly for the coming six months. This money, it was stated, was required t meet immediate eommitments and the uogan of tfie eircular was " Casfi or Crash. " Mr. Sheat said it was obvious cfiat voluntary colleetions were failing and that the strongest elforts would be made to use compulsion in obtaining funds. Hon. W. E. Parry said the National Party should be eandid as to how it obtained its own funds. » Mr. W. S. Goosinan (Piako): Every penny is voluntary. Mr. Parry denied that this was so and quoted instanees of _what, he said, was tfie use of coercioy in the past to provide funds for Labour's opponents. Hon. T. H. McCombs (Lyttelton) said that the Opposition wished to be able to compile from the liles of the Department a list of every person who subseribed to the Labour Party funds. Mr. Webb: What a fantastie suggestion! Mr. McCombs said the Opposition hoped that when it took offiee it would be able to use such a list for the purposes of vietimisation. The House should unanimously rejeet the proposal to create a list of names which woiild lend itself to vietimisation. He would not be a party to such an iniquitous thing. The rules of the association provided for a ballot of members before money was used for any purpose, political or otherwise. If Mr. Webb realised the implications of the amendment which had been plaeed in his hands he would want to withdraw it. Mr. C. G. Harker (Hawke's Bay) said Mr. MeCombs opposed the compilation of a list of those who would contribute to the Labour Party funds but wanted instead a list of those who would not. Mr. T. E. Skinner (Tamaki) said the cireular quoted by Mr. Sheat was a

legitimate appeal for funds. There was nothing eompulsory about it. Moreover, no trade union had to belong to the Labour Party or the Federation of . Labour. A division was ealled for after further diseussion and the amendment was lost by 32 to 37 votes. The Bill then went through the remaining stages and was passed.