LABOUR DIVISIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1940, Page 5

LABOUR DIVISIONS

NEW SOUTH WALES EXECUTIVE SUSPENDED ACTION BY FEDERAL BODY PARTY IN THREE GROUPS (Bj' Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Federal Executive of the Australian Labour Party last night suspended from office all officials and members of the New South Wales Executive of the Labour Party and decided to create a new State Executive. Thus there will now be tnree distinct Labour Parties in this State contesting the next Federal election, firstly, the new official Labour Party; secondly, a party, led by the expelled executive, which will probably become a new Industrial Party; Thirdly, the Lang non-Communist breakaway group. The reasons for the dissolution of the State executive are: firstly, alleged disloyalty to the Federal Executive, which has an overriding influence on the Australian Labour movement; secondly, damaging propaganda and thirdly, derogatory criticism of Federal politicians who voted with the Federal Government on the National Security Bill. ACTION POSTPONED HOPES OF ACCOMMODATION. (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Federal Labour Party Executive held a further meeting late last night and decided that the suspensions should not become effective until after August 16. On that date it is proposed that the principal officers of the Federal Executive with Mr J. Curtin (Federal Labour Leader) and Mr Forgan Smith (Premier of Queensland) shall address the suspended members. The Federal officials hope that a majority of the suspended members will then decide to remain loyal to the Federal Labour Party, in which case they would probably be appointed to a new Official State Executive.