WAR POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 158, 4 June 1940, Page 2

WAR POLICY.

LABOUR PARTY SUPPORT. FREE HAND GIVEN. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, ' June 3. By an overwhelming majority, stated officially to be nine to one, the emergency conference of the Labour Party, to-day, approved of the joint statement on the war policy issued by the national executive of the Labour Party and the national council of the Federation of Labour whereby the actions of the Government up to the present were,/endorsed and a free hand was given to the Government for the further prosecution of New Zealand’s war effort. . ■ ’ . y Opposition to the statement, which was comparatively small, was officially stated to concern possible future developments. On the policy the Government had pursued up to the present there was ~ general .agreement.: There Was an 'atteii dance"-. of 506 delegates, representing 47 Labour Representation Committees. 152 unions and 256 branches. The national,.-president (Mr ,T. Roberts) presided. Others on the included the-Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) and other members of Cabinet. Most of the Labour members of Parliament attended as branch delegates. - *, Opening the'conference. Mr Roberts introduced the Prime Minister, remarking that when Mr Fraser spoke to the Easter Conference he had done so as acting-Prime Minister. Mr Fraser received ail ovation lastinq nearly live minutes: His address: which lasted an hour and a-half. dealt with the war situation and the joint statement by which the Government sought a free hand.

There were in all 16 speakers.' including the Minister of Finance (Hon. W. Nash) and the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple). Mr Roberts moved the adoption of the statement, which was seconded by the national vice-president (Dr. D. G- McMillan. M.P.) and carried by a nine to one majority. ; It was officially _ stated that there were many expressions of opinion that the Government, having been elected by a large majority of the people, was competent to carry on the war effort without taking into the Cabinet any members of the Opposition. The conference concluded with « vote of complete confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government.