LABOUR CHAIRMAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 627, 2 April 1929, Page 9

LABOUR CHAIRMAN

MR. J. MAXTON RE-ELECTED THIRD TERM OF OFFICE (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) LONDON, Monday. At the annual conference at Carlisle of the Independent Labour Party Mr. James Maxton, M.P. for Bridgeton, Glasgow, was re-elected chairman for the third year in succession. Sir Oswald Mosley, M.P. for Smethwick, failed to secure election to the national council. Mr. James Maxton has been an active member of the Independent Labour-Party for the last 25 years. He was born in 1885 at Pollokshaws, Glasgow, and educated at the Hutcheson Grammar School and the university. He was later trained as a teacher at the Normal College and subsequently became a member of the city education authority. He is an accomplished speaker, with a Ween sense of humour, and has devoted much time to propaganda, not only at formal meetings, but street corners. When, in 1916, David Kirkwood and other Scottish “Reds’* were deported from their homes for fomenting the Clyde strike—the shop stewards’ movement — Mr. Maxton headed the protest “in defence of liberty,” speaking so strongly that he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for sedition. From that his health has never quite recovered. He was chairman of the Scottish Independent Labour Party from 1913 to 1919, a member of the National Administrative Council from 1914 to 1916 and of the Labour Party executive council in 1919--0. In the latter year he became organising secretary of the Glasgow Independent Labour Party. Mr. Maxton entered the House of Commons in 1918 as M.P. for the Bridgeton division of Glasgow and is one of the hand of “Red Clydesiders” at Westminster. In December, 1925, he revolted against the Labour Party’s policy in Parliament. urging that new methods must he adopted. At the conference in April, 1926, he was elected chairman of the Independent Labour Party by an overwhelming majority. Mr. Maxton brought ’n a Bill to nationalise the Bank of England. Early in 1926 Messrs. Maxton and D. Kirkwood paid a visit to Morocco. Mr. Maxton was re-elected •hairman of the Independent Labour Party last year.. Sir Oswald Mosley is the Socialist son "f the late Sir Oswald Mosley, Bart., who cited last year. He is married to Lady Cynthia, daughter of the late Marquess Curaon. Like her husband. she has espoused the cause of Labour.

IN AUSTRALIA

MR. J. J. GRAVES ELECTED

(Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 9.5 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. The Australian Labour Party lias elected Mr. J. J. Graves president. It has also decided that union officials and Labour members of Parliament will be levied a half per cent, on their salaries for party funds.