National Party Prepares For Conference

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1948, Page 3

National Party Prepares For Conference

Press Assoctation )

(Per

WELLINGTON, xVLay 17. Altliough Parliameut will tlieii be in seasion, no effort will be spared by the New Zealantl National Party tb engure a considerable representation of National meihhers of Jthe iHouse of Kepresentatives at the'h'nnual conference of the party, which will be held at Dunedin on July3 and 6. .. Because of reoent political and industrial deYelopments, particular inyiortance is attaehed to the asaembly, whicu will be the eieventh annual conference of the organiaation ahd the firat to be atagcd outaide Wellington. Including tho"' wives of delegates, and visitors, bet'ween 4U0 and 500 people will attend under the chairmanahip of the Dominion president, Mr. W. J. Sim, K.C., of Wellington. The usacmbly will be subatantially larger than the annual conference of the New Zealand Fedoraliou of Labour, and of the dimenaiona of the coufereneq of the New Zealand Labour Party, As in tho caaea of ,thc Fedoratiou of Labour and the Labour Party, the National Party, through ita Otago-Wouthland division, has engaged the Concert Chamber of the Dunedin Town Hall. The feeling has already developed within the organiaation that thia will }>e tho moat vital conference of the Nalioual Partv. Wliile the sitting oi Parliament will debar the presence of a nuinber of membera of the HOuse, there ia an impression that the disability will be more than overconie becauae the conference diacuasious will have a topical application to the- business be fore Ihe House. It is intended that as many National inembors of Parliament aa possible will attend the first day of the c.onference, on a Monday, enabling theni to return to Wellington for the resuinption of Parlianientary business on the next day. The Lcader of the Opposition (Mr. H.ol land) will deliver an address at a re ceptiou on the Monday night. The considerable difficulties in connection with accominodation and the work of the ofiice staff incurro.J by liolding the conference outaide Wellington are reported to have been overconie sutisfactorily. . Tliese proved to be a large problem at the Labour Party and Federalion of Labour confVrences, aud they are said to have (larfipened any enthusiasm for the ideu of liolding the conforences successively in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch aud Dunedin. Carof'ul attentiou is beiug given by the National Party to the information system used at Dunediu by -the Labour organisations; Kvhich wero niuch more open (hau they had e'ver been in Wellingtoii so far' as 'their news- releasCs wero eoncerhed. • 'D : 1