THE REFORM LEAGUE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 474, 15 June 1912, Page 5

THE REFORM LEAGUE.

CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES

[i'.y TKi.Knn.wir. —i-bkss assou ation.] Auckland, This Day.

The first annual conference of the Auckland provincial branches of the New Zealand Political Reform League was commenced in the Chamber oi Commerce yesterday morning. There were forty delegates and members of Parliament present. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr \V. F. Massey) presided, and extended a cordial welcome to the delegates. lie remarked that so large an attendance was evidence of the keen interest that was widespread throughout; the Auckland : province in the Reform party, and of the enthusiasm of its welfare. The provincial executive had fomulated a a scheme of organisation, of which the present conference was an important feature, The league .in Auckland had now an official organ, and it had recently undertaken the establishment of a Reform Club in the city. The purpose of that club would be to provide a gathering place- for members of the. league, and it. would, he was sure, .be beneficial to the interests of the par y and prove so successful that other centres would recognise the advisability of following the example oi Auckland. Mr Massey announced that a general conference of delegates from the branches of the New Zealand Political Reform League would be held in Wellington on June 27th. A report upon its work of the past year was presented by the provincial executive. It expressed satisfaction at the greatly improved outlook from the standpoint of the Reform party, and recorded its sense of the very valuable services rendered to the cause by the party leaders, and expressed more particularly its appreciation of the patriotic and selfdenying labours of the leader of the Opposition. The executive took advantage of the opportunity to enter its protest against the very unjustifiable statements made by certain Ministers of the Crown and by a section of the Government Press, that the Reform party has lost confidence in its leader, and that if the party is to. succeed politically, it must find a new leader. The conference unanimously resolved '"That the time has arrived when, in view of the influences working in the opposite direction, all citizens of the Dominion having its interests at heart should cooperate to secure clean constitutional j government of the Dominion's affairs."

The second ballot system was discussed, and the conference expressed its opinion that the present electoral law is riot satisfactory in its operation, and that its amendment should be considered by the Dominion conference of the Reform League and by the members of the party.