THE SEAMEN'S AFFAIRS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14830, 22 November 1913, Page 12

THE SEAMEN'S AFFAIRS.

MR BELCHER AND WELLINGTON BRANCH. (PHESS ASSOCIATION' TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, November 21. A telegram from Dunedin last week stated that "the executive of the Seamen's Union in Wellington wants Mr Belcher to stay and control the affairs of the union there, but the Dunedin men want him to return to Dunedin as soon as possible." Mr D. Donovan, president of the Seamen's Union, states that this, has just been brought under his notice, and he wishes To contradict it emphatically, so far as it relates to the feeling of the executive. The members of the excutive, he says, are quite as capable as Mr Belcher of controlling the union's affairs. On the day of Mr Young's arrest Mr Belcher asked if there was anything he could do in Wellington. Air Donovan replied that there was not, and if he wanted to do anything he had better return to his branch in Dunedin. "While Mr Belcher was in Wellington," suul'Mr Donovan, "he never at any time came to the offices of the Seamen's Union, nor did he request any of the members to see him. At a meeting of the executive I moved a motion of no-confidence in him as an executive officer, and it was carried unanimously. He is not the general secretary of the union, but only secretary of the Dunedin branch. MV Young is general secretary, and on his arrest Mr Smithy man, assistant secretary, was appointed to carry on the work in his absence."