Annual Report of Socialist Party.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 60, 3 May 1912, Page 5

Annual Report of Socialist Party.

Presented to Recent Conference.

In presenting a report of our stewardship for tho past 12 months, perhaps it will be as well to briefly touch upon our sins of omission. First, —Wo wero instructed to inaugurate th© eystem of atamp receipts so as to insure capitation fees being paid quarterly. Second, —A national Socialist badge was to bo decided on and & Socialist van was to be got on the roads. As we havo previously reported, the system of stamps would mean expenditure and work for the secretary, which wo thought would not be justifiable until a permanent man was engaged. With reference to the badge, we had decidod to adopt an international badge —clasped hands, a globe, and the words "Socialism" and "Tho world's wealth for the world's workers." We recommend such a badge to the conference. Tho Socialist van was too big a job during a term in which a general election was fought. Our work of commission has been to tho best of our ability to prepare tho ground work for the linking-up of a strong Socialist Party in this country. With this object in view, we engaged Comrade E. R. Hartley from England for tho term of one year to lecture. Ho has done good work, and will report to conference. We have founded a Socialist Cross of Honor, and are presenting one to each of the boys -who go to jail in defiance of the Conscription Act of this country. Wo are in communication with tho Socialist Federation of Australia to federate the Australasian movement, and have appoint***- Comrade Robert Semple to represent us at the conference held in Adelaide. Several new branches have been formed, some have been linked up, and one or two need a little moro work to teach them tho importance of our movement. There aro a number of places whero branches are in the process of birth, merely wanting the midwife as it were, and we advise that the necessary assistance bo given to them. The Auckland branch is doing a great work for Socialism and Industrial Unionism. 11. Scott Bennett had been lecturing in that city for a considerable time, when he determined to tour the world, and left for Australia, from which pla-ce ho was booked for England, when he was advised that the reactionary Labor Party had concentrated their forces in tlie Queen City, the renegade Prof. Mills taking the editorship of the Labor paper, "Tbo Voice of Labor," and a determined attempt was being made to undo the splendid work which he had so ably helped to do. Comrade Bennett immediately cancelled his contemplated tour, got back to Auckland as quickly as he could, and is at the present timo working for the cause in that city with his coat and braces off. Waihi, Huntly, and Karangahak© aro in good fighting trim, liaving gone ahead by leaps and bounds during tho year. Runanga and the West Coast

branches are virile and in readiness for united action. Feilding, Palmorstoa North and th© Wellington province generally provide a fine field for our propaganda. Tho Wellington branch ia just recovering from over-oxpenditure and loss of energetic members who havo loft the city for economic reasons, bub the remaining stalwarts are pulling' is on to safe ground again. This branch has dono magnificent work for Socialism sinoe founded, and we venture to prophesy that it will do as good work in the future. Christchurch is doing steady plodding work, and although the parliamentary barometer didn't show very high, tho number of jailed anti-militar-ista shows that rebels are being made. Th© towns between Christchurch and Dunedin are needing rousing from their apathy, and await the van. Timaru, thanks to the work put in by Comrade R. Gould, has a branch, but for financial reasons is net yet linked up. Waimate is in a rebellious state, thankto good agitation work put in by an unattached Socialist, namely, Harry Campbell, and it needs very little more effort to bring it into tho fold. Dunedin, thanks to Jim Munro, Brothers Silverttono and a fow sound Socialists, has boon preventod from slipping back to the reactionary Labor crowd, and th© comrades need assistance to strengthen the true sentiment in their midst. Kaitangata lias not joined us yet—it does not like the pledge, but a little education will smooth that over all right. W© cannot conclude without expressing our appreciation of the great assistance given to tli© Socialist move-" ment by "The Maoriland Worker." The thanks of the New Zealand Socialistshould be given to thoso men who h&fa worked so hard and sacrificed so moch to give such a paper to tho workers of this country. In conclusion, w© wisSt tho conference every success and the incoming ©xecutiv© plenty of work and energy to do it.—FRED. R. COOKE, secretary N.Z.S.P.