FORCED TO QUIT HOTEL

Chronicle (Levin), 30 April 1948, Page 5

FORCED TO QUIT HOTEL

- Press Association)

Sensational Claini By Union Delegates y.

(Per

DUNEDIN; April,29.! = An nnprecedented crisis - confronted tlie New Zealand Federa- ' tion qf... Labour Qonference, tliiS' afternoon . wJien Mr. T. Mll, naJional «ecreta% Workers' Uiijon, amiounced that tour Waterside Union delegates had been ordered to lCave Wain's hotel because one ot tbe'u wa§" a. Communist, and demanded an inimediate imposition of a boycott. It was tlie greatest sensation of tlie conference . and arpused . an immediate demaiicl for •action; - 1 Tlie men affeeted''- by tlie ban were Mr. Alex Drennaii, president of fhe New Zealand Oommimist P-arty and vice-presidentv ofC tlie Waterside Workecs' Union; Mr. H. Barnes, president of the union ; .Mr. T. Hill, national secretary of" the union ; and Mr. T. McGlinchy, a member of the executive- of the Port Lyttelton hrancl of the union. Mr, Hill told the . cpnfereuce that after they had had their firsjluneh in the hotel, Mr. Drennan was summoned to the.manager's ofnee and told hy the liceusee, Mr* Charlea M. Lewis, that as a Communist he' was unwanted - apiopg the guests and he.was tcJd he pUist. leave together with hi.q ffiends. . Ma. . Hill wanted the hotel deelared black and a complete hoycott. imposed.Mr. F. ,P. Walsh, the hewlyeleetecT vice-president of the fecl'er* ation, who was temporarily occupying the eliair, immediately suggested that the matter be'left to the national executive of the Federation Avliieh subsequently visited the hotel, interviewed 3VIr. Lewis and informed him that unless the g'l'oup were reinstated on the hotel guest list, beer supplies would be cut off, the hotel staff called out and a pieket line established. Five o'plock was mentioned as the deadliiie. Just beloreyififu o'clock Mrl Walsh.ahu^Ueecf from tlie conference . piafl'hfm Jiiat the clemancl had been'acceded tov Tonight the ' whole paity 41 qccupied the uuost prominent table in the diniugroom and entertained as dinner guest Mr. WT. I». Ricliards; president of tlie Leftist Transporfi "Workers' Federation who yesterday was ousted from the vicepresidency of the Federation of Labour by Mr-. "Walsh. . Thro.ughout .. tlie ^ riieal and evenihg, the lioteljs f)teo address ^y&tenuwas engaged every few minutes in callingUirembefs o'L' the"' pavty to eit-lier -fhe M-elcphone or ^ to jiieet newly arrived guests. In conversation with your correspondent, Mr. Lewis subsequently stated that the whole ineident liad been the result -of a misunderstaiiding. Ile had been informed only of Mr. Drennan's 'Joiiinuinist affiliations and he did not like Commimists or tlie trouble tney were eauslig throughout the world. When it had been .explained to him that Mr. Drennan was visiting Dunedin as a delegate from the 'Waterside fWorkerr " Union, -to atteud the Federation ot Labour Cohfefence, he had immediately 'agreed to reinstate ' hihi aiid his friends on ..'tlie liote ' register. "