NEW OFFICERS ELECTED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22510, 19 September 1938, Page 10

NEW OFFICERS ELECTED

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STONEFRUIT GROWERS

ASSOCIATION

RESIGNATION OF TWO

MEMBERS

LONG DISCUSSION AT MEETING

ON SATURDAY

Heated argument and interjections took up most of the time at a meeting of .the Christchurch Tomato ana Stonefruit Growers’ Association on Saturday evening, when further discussion ensued on the resignations of the two vice-presidents. Messrs H. T. Falla and C. J. Fineran, and the secretary, Mr F. J. Scapens. The resignations were made at a previous meeting on the allegation that the president (Mr C. E. Pope) had acted unconstitutionally in withholding certain correspondence, and the officers concerned, contended that the letters had been withheld from the committee and only read to a general meeting at a very la e hour, after being specifically asked for. The resignations of the vice-presi-dents were read to a meeting on August 20. and at this meeting the president contended that he had acted properly in that one of the letters was marked confidential and made certain statements which he thought were untrue. He had made inquiries ana proved that the remarks were, in fact, untrue. After this discussion-a vote of no confidence in the chairman was carried, and the meeting refused to ratify the action of the committee in accepting the resignations. The meeting cn Saturday evening was attended by 42 members, many of whom took part in the argument which followed Mr Pope’s decision not to open the meeting until Messrs, H. T. Falla and Fineran. who he considered had no right to be present, as they had resigned, had left the room. This they eventually agreed to do, and they returned when they had been reappointed members of the association. The meeting then went into committee, and it was later reported that a new election of officers had been held. “Most Difficult Position" “The position has been most difficult’ for the committee, and I myself consider that there has been no need ier it,” said Mr Pope. The resignations of the two vice-presidents had been accepted by the committee, and he understood that since then other resignations had come in. In the circumstances he could not open the meeting while the gentlemen who had, resigned were present.

Mr Pope then read the following letter from the association’s auditor, which he considered substantiated his argument about the resignations: “In reply to your inquiry, after considering the rules of your association, I aim of the opinion that a member who has resigned and whose resignation has been duly accepted. by the committee Hs not entitled to attend any' meeting of the association until such time as he has been re-elected a member of the association.” ‘ Mr F. E. Reaby: Have you opened the meeting yet? The president; No; I cannot proceed. I have just explained the ruling of the auditor, and on that account I ask the gentlemen who have resigned to leave. Their resignations have, been accepted and. therefore, it is impossible to proceed.

Mr Reaby then produced a rule book, in which he contended there was no rule giving them power to accept resignations. The proceedings at the meeting of the committee when the resignations of the two vice-presidents had: been received were outlined by Mr D. J. Falla, who remarked that two committeemen and the president were “ruling the roost” of the whole association. When the chairman was beginning to reply to, Mr Falla by saying that the resignations had been read by the secretary, and a motion had been moved and seconded that, they be accepted, Mr Reaby interjected. The president: Order! Order! Mr Reaby: No order when there is no meeting. Mr Reaby then went on to say that only the president and Messrs A. Bloxam and F. C. Williams had accepted the resignations. “Are we going to allow that sort of thing?” he asked. “No. The president has dominated executive meetings, and has dominated us. Are you going to let a man do that and sit like a lot of dummies?” “Undue Haste” < Mr F. Cusack: Rules or no rules, I say there was undue haste in getting rid of two men who have done more for the association than any other member. . . , . Mr B. J. Pegley: May I ask why they resigned? When they put their resignations in, did they expect them to be accepted or not? The president: The resignations were not a protest; they were a challenge. After the secretary (Mr Scapens) had read Mr C. J. Fineran’s letter outlining .the reasons for the latter’s resignation, Mr Fineran said that the matter could be got over if Mr Pope admitted that he had made a mistake by withholding certain letters from the association. “All I want is that the growers should know everything that is done by the association,” he said. _ The president: No letters,were held UP Mr Fineran; Is that a fact, Mr Secrstsry? The secretary, in reply, said that because of the lateness of the hour. he had suggested that the balance of the correspondence be held over in the meantime. - ~ . The president said that one of- the letters should not have been marked confidential. Speaking of the resignation of the secretary, Mr Pope said that it had been put in as a stumbling block to him.

“Sick of it All”

The secretary; I resigned because I was sick of it all. Unless something is done, I won’t do another thing for the association. Mr H. T. Falla said that when a chairman accepted a motion from a meeting he should be prepared to abide by the decision of the meeting. He also gave a survey of the events, which had occurred since the dispute opened. The appointment of Mr S. J. Graham as a member of the committee was then discussed, and the secretary then read the minutes of the August meeting of the committee containing information about his appointment. The president: I’ll never sign minutes. Mr Falla: How can, we carry on when the president is like that?

Mr Finefan said it was no use wrangling for it was getting them nowhere. He suggested that all the officers, including the chairman, resign, and that new officers be appointed. Mr G. Hill asked if there was any possibility of the dispute being settled. They were behaving like a lot of children, he said.' He then proposed that the two vice-presidents leave the room, and they could then be reelected as members of the association. This suggestion was carried,'and the

two vice-presidents were applauded as they left the room. The meeting then went , into committee, and it was later reported that a new election of officers had been held, and the following' had been appointed:—President, Mr G. E. Billson; vice-presidents, Messrs A. Bloxam and C. J. Fineran; secretary-treasurer, Mr F. J. Scapens; committee, Messrs R. Mundy, F. E. Reaby, A. D. Roberts, A. Johnstone, E. Copper, and H. T. Falla.

A vote of thanks to the retiring officers was carried by. acclamation. ■