LABOUR MEMBERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26635, 4 December 1947, Page 6

LABOUR MEMBERS

INDUSTRIAL BACKGROUND REQUIRED FEDERATION’S ADVOCACY P.A. .. > WELLINGTON, Dec. 3. The' decision.of the National Counr cil of the Federation of Labour to Urge the nomination within the Labour Party of candidates with an industrial background was announced in a statement to-night by the secretary of the federation, Mr K. McL. Baxter, Mr Baxter said that at a meeting of the National Council in Wellington a proposal urging that the federation should seriously consider the advisability of standing industrial candidates against Labour members of Parliament was rejected and a resolution carried: '“That the National Council calls upon affiliations to forward remits to the 1948 annual conferences of the New Zealand Federation of Labour and the New Zealand Labour Party in favour of the nomination and selection of parliamentary Labour Party .candidates by ballot of members from affiliated unions and < Labour Party branches. The National Council also urges member of affiliations to the Federation of Labour and members of affiljations to the Labour Party to nominate and support the selection of parliamentary Labour Party candidates with trade union background and working-class understanding.” The National Council also passed a resolution expressing deep regret at the shocking loss of lives of workers employed at Ballantyne’s, Ltd., and others on the premises during the recent fire and extended its deepest sympathy to relatives and friends of the victims."' The National Council has requested the Government to grant representation for the Federation of Labour on the fire inquiry commission which will be set up to investigate the fire at Christchurch.