Party News Briefs (1951)

Party News from the March 1951 issue of the Socialist Standard

Party Meeting on Premises

Nearly three hundred Party Members attended Holborn Hall on Sunday afternoon, February 19th, in response to an urgent request, at unavoidably short notice. Six hundred circulars were sent to members in London and the Home Counties with details of the meeting and extracts from reports on premises at Clapham were included in the circular.

The meeting lasted three hours and terminated when a resolution was carried by an overwhelming majority recommending the Executive Committee to purchase the premises at Clapham.

A collection of £16 was taken during the meeting and a retiring collection for the New Premises Fund realised £12 12s. 6d.

Conference

Comrades are reminded that Conference is being held at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 23rd, 24th and 25th. On the Saturday evening the usual Social and Dance will be held, and on Sunday evening a Conference Rally will be held. (See separate Notice in this issue of the Standard for full details).

Glasgow Branch

Glasgow Branch regrets to announce the death of Comrade Thomas Walshe.

Comrade Walshe was one of the oldest members of the Branch and during his association with the Party, spared no effort in the task of spreading the Case for Socialism.

Keenly interested in music, Comrade Walshe, up to the time of his illness, would discuss and lecture on music after Branch meetings.

The Party can ill afford to lose members of his kind. His death is a great blow to Glasgow Branch.

The Branch takes this opportunity of extending its deepest sympathy to his relatives and friends.

Hackney Branch

The Branch has received a letter of apology from Miss Sybil Morrison regretting her inability to debate on behalf of the Peace Pledge Union at the Bethnal Green Library. The proposed debate was arranged to take place on February 2nd. Owing to a bad attack of influenza and inability to find a deputy for the evening in question, she asked us to arrange another date; accordingly Friday, March 30th, at the same time and place has been-agreed upon, and those who were previously disappointed by the non-attendance of the P.P.U. representative are invited to be present on the new date.

This will be the last indoor propaganda venture of the Branch this season, previous to the re-opening of old, and possibly new stations in the large and populous area of North and East London served by the Branch.

West Ham Branch

After a slow start the winter season livened up with a visit of a University lecturer criticising the Materialist Conception of History which attracted more than forty comrades and friends.

Subsequent Branch lectures have been less successful but nevertheless promise well for the future. 1951 has already produced two new members and more are likely.

On January 24th an audience of ninety at East Ham Town Hall heard Comrades Carver and Young on “War and the Working Class,” and it is possible that more meetings will be held in this hall before the end of the winter.

One or two members continue canvassing with good effect.

Overseas

The Overseas Secretary reports that our Comrades in New Zealand have again, this year, had a tarpaulin - throw-in (what we should call a  "whip-round”), to provide us with another food parcel for our Annual Conference catering. The parcel is on its way and will be a great boon to our harassed Catering Committee in their endeavour to provide delegates and visitors to our Conference with suitable refreshments. We heartily thank our Comrades in New Zealand for their comradely and generous gift.

Thanks are also extended to the Comrades in Northern Rhodesia who have donated, via the Overseas Secretary, the sum of Five Pounds to Party Funds, and to the Comrade in South Africa who has sent One Pound towards the expenses of overseas propaganda.

The Overseas Secretary is anxious to contact any Member who may be contemplating a visit to Central Europe during 1951. Also, any member who is taking up residence overseas, or who may be going to do so, is recommended to communicate with the Overseas Secretary so that he can supply the facilities that he is now able to provide to ex-members living abroad.

Phyllis Howard