PREMIER & PARTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1939, Page 7

PREMIER & PARTY

DISCUSSION AT LABOUR CONFERENCE MR SAVAGE’S AUTHORITY UPHELD. CAUCUS & NATIONAL EXECUTIVE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Further information on the discussion at the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party in Wellington on Monday on the question of the relations of Cabinet and caucus, the leadership of the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, and the powers that go with it, are given in a report made available yesterday. The discussion is said to have firmly established the Prime Minister's right as the elected political head of the State after adequate consideration and consultation on the widest democratic basis, to give the final decision on the selection of Cabinet Ministers and for overcoming any deadlock on matters of major importance. The report states that having addressed the conference and taken part in subsequent discussion during which the vital question of the extent of the authority of the Leader of the Parliamentary Party was raised, Mr Savage received an enthusiastic vote of full confidence. There was a note of drama when Mr Savage, at the conclusion of his report, referred to a matter of vital interest to the Labour Movement —the question of his leadership and the powers that go with it, the report continues. alleged’split denied. For some months now rumours have been circulated about an alleged split n the Parliamentary Party and a document' has been circulated widely which gave some evidence of a serious difference of opinion. That there have been differences of opinion is not denied, the 'report says, but that they were serious enough to warrant the use of the term “split,” is now demonstrably false. Monday’s debate and the vote of confidence in Mr Savage and Cabinet have ended the matter. Speaking dispassionately at first, the Prime Minister outlined the situation that developed in caucus following the general election; but later his voice and demeanour indicated clearly that he felt his position keenly. Referring to an incident that had taken place, he laid: “I don’t want people to tell me how much they love me and then find they are holding meetings behind my back.” - SELECTION OF MINISTERS. Mr Savage said that a difference of opinion had arisen concerning the selection of Cabinet Ministers. ■ After some consultations it had been agreed that for the future the Leader of the Parliamentary Party should be apnointed during the final session of each Parliament and that he should consult the caucus and discuss the question o. f the personnel of Cabinet until general agreement was arrived at. If considered necessary and desirable by the Leader a ballot would be taken, it. being his duty to ascertain the opinions of the Parliamentary Party to synchronise them with his own right of final selection of the Ministers with whom he had carried on the work of Government. “Nothing.” said Mr Savage, “could be more democratic than that. We are living in such trying times—almost in the shadow of war—that it seems more important, at this time (han it has ever been before that we should stand together as one man. although it is difficult to expect that the 50-odd members of caucus should see always exactly eye to eye.” CONFERENCE RESOLUTION. The president of the Party, Mr James Roberts, moved: “That this conference thanks the Prime Minister for his report; places on record its highest appreciation of the Government’s achievements; and expresses full and complete confidence in the Prime Mmister and Cabinet.” The resolution also endorsed the decision of the Parliamentary Labour r>artv in regard to the selection of Cabinet. Ministers, and provided a similar means of overcoming any leadlock on matters of major importance firmly establishing the Ministers’ right as the elected .-plitinffi head of the State. after orioquate consideration and consUlta‘ion on the widest democratic basis, o <ri V »' the final decision on such . pnfnrviprr to the relations that — irted between the Parliamentary T ’artv and the national executive of T "hour Partv. Mr Roberts said ■bat th e national executive desired onthi'n" m o,, e than for the Parlia--n-ntary Party | O . manage its own affairs comnletelv in carrying out the policy of the party. dealing with deadlocks. If. however, the Parliamentarv caucus should ever have a question before : t of first-class importance which involved special difficulties and which was likely to result in a deadlock, and tf it was' Mt that the onostion was uie that called for a broader consultaton still it would be w : llin<» to offer : ts se”vices and. if neeoesnrv. to follow the course indicated m the cor.sti'ip'on in regard m consulting conference or convening a special conference. . The most important thing of all was to maintain the effective unitv r Pic n?rtv in carrying out its -,]« r lcrpc tn th'* people Mr F. P. WdK’h w b n snrnnded the •-pqnlution moved by Mr Roberts, said thnt th°r Q could not b n progress ivhhout differences of opinion, but differences of opinion must not be Slowed to bal* pro<mr>*s. If opinion : n caucus should develop into a deadlock i f w?s r’cht an'’ P’-mor -o c°n--cvyn for the Prime M'nis*-m the final decision as to what should be the novf rton taken. Th» leadership of Mr Savage was invaluable. To re--ppi-pen ite valu n fully was not in any wav investing the Leader with dictatorial powers.