SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2202, 15 July 1914, Page 11

SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

ANNUAL CONFMENOE. - < ' : The first, annual conference of. the Social Democratic Party opened yesterday iii the Esperanto Hall. Delegates representing 75 affiliated organisations were in attendance. Mr. H. Hunter (Ohristchurch East) occupied the chair. . 'Congratulatory telegrams were received from different parts of the Dominion. An invitation to attend a "social". and dinner organised by the Wellington branch of the Social'Demo-' cratic Party.was accepted by the.'delegates. ... It .was .'unanimously resolved to invite the' S.D.P. members of Parliament to attend the' conference; .'" ,The annual report'was submitted and unanimously adopted. The report stated ; lhat contributions had been'; received from a membership 'of 7000, /audi the . secretary stated that this-had..'increased., since the report had been adopted. The; balance-sheet,' which 'disclosed a satisfactory financial condition was adopted' Unanimously. Messrs. Dowgray andRosser made a report of the United Federation of Labour deputation to the ■Minister.of Justice for the purpose of securing tho release of the strike prisoners. The .conference decided to present to Parliament a petition already signed ■and to effect the co-operation of tho Social Democratic members in getting a division in the House on the question •of such release. The returning officer supervising tlv> ballot on theeloction of the party's officers reported the results ■as follow Mr. '.Ha Hunter .(Ohristcburch East); vice-president, Mr. FY Cooke (ChnV.tchurch Tailoring ■ Union); nhtioii.il' organiser, "Mr. H. , Scott Bennett (Auckland). Mr. P. Frascr whs "elected unopposed" to "tile" national secretary treasurorship. During' the afternoon remits amending tho constitution were discussed. I\o matorial alteration was agreed to.