LABOUR CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 20140, 3 April 1929, Page 13

LABOUR CONFERENCE

m THORN THE NEW PRESIDENT [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 2. Except lor the election ol president and officers, practically the whole of the time of the conference of the New Zealand Labour Party, at the Trades Hall, was taken up to-day with the discussion of internal organisation and finance. The day’s programme was concluded well within time in the afternoon, and in the evening a “ social ’ was tendered to the delegates by the Wellington ' Labour Representation Committee. Tho election of officers resulted as follows President, Mr J. Thorn (Wellington), unopposed; vice-president, the Rev. J. K. Archer (Christchurch); secretary and treasurer, Air W. Nash, for the eighth year in succession (unopposed) ; members of the National Executive—resident members, Messrs T. Brindle, W. Bromley, L. MTlroy, W. Atkinson, and Mrs Semple; divi-.-ioiinl area members—Messrs A. G. Barclay (North Auckland). M. ASavage, M.P. (Auckland City), W. E. Barnard, M.P. (Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay), J. S. Montgomery (Auckland provincial), W. J. Rogers, Mayor of Wanganui (Taranaki and King Country), A. "Whittle (Manawatn and Pahiatna), W. Taylor (Hutt, Otaki, and Wairarapa), T. Parfitt (West Coast), E. B. Cooke (Canterbury), E. Jones (Otago). Tho South Canterbury and Southland members have yet to he elected. Air J. Thom, of ’Wellington, the newly-elected president, was selected in ] !J()5 as Labour candidate for Clnlstchurch South. He organised the Canterbury farm labourers, and had charge of their case before tho Arbitration Court. Ho spent several years in Groat Britain, where he was _ actively engaged in Labour Party activities and journalism. On his return to New Zealand in 1913 he immediately commenced working for the trade union movement, and in 1914 he unsuccessfully contested tho Palmerston North scat. He lias for a long period been secretary of Hie Labour Representation Committee, and ho lias also been editor ol the ’New Zealand Worker ’ for the past seven or eight years.