DELEGATES EXPELLED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 592, 21 August 1909, Page 3

DELEGATES EXPELLED.

■ ■ 0 --. .•;. ■ WHARF-WORKERS' CONFERENCE. MR.-M'LAEEN AND HIS COLLEAGUES. Throushout tte proceedings of the Waterside Workers' Conference, it has been evident that the Wellington delegates'were not by any means a happy family. The climax was reached yesterday afternoon, when two of the Wellington men. placed themselves (not for tho first time) in strong opposition to Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P., who is secretary of the local union, and also of the federation. Tho outcome was a stormy scene, ending in the two aggressors being relieved of the responsibility of further , participation In the proceedings. , . . ■ 1 .Mr. IV ll'Carm (Wellington) challenged Mr.! M'Laren , s right to vote.at the conference. He contended that, Mr. M'Laren was present not as a delegate, but as secretary of the federation, and £ko standing orders said "one delegate, one votei" ■. Mr. M'Laren said he was a delegate ai well as general secretary of the federation. "If the' conference doesn't want me here,, I am prepared to leave it and have*.no more to io with it." r - Mr. D. M'Cafthy (Napier) said the proceedings'were out of order. They, did not want to be the laughing-stock of-New.Zea-land. .Some members, seemed to have come to criticise the general secretary.. Mr. M'Cann: I have uot. 1 was asking if ho had a right to voto. Mr. M'Carthy maintained tliat some members had come to the conference to criticise the secretary. Hβ.' maintained that Mr.. M'Laren had a right to vote. % Mr H Voyce (Ljttelton). I am very much surprised at the procedure. Somo of the Wellington delegates lUr. M'Uann: .Name thoml The chairman (Mr. J. Reed), to Mr. M'Cann. This conference is not being hold tj hear jour leinarks all the timo Mr. Voyce: "I am sorry that 1 will be personal now—has come hero'looking for tioublo w,ith Mr. M'Laren. It is quite uncalled fbr Personal feeling should bo put on one-side when we come.hero once a year in conference." He added that tho least that tho delegate could do, if ho had a spark of manhood, was to apologise Mr. M'Cann: Nothing of tho sort I I shall do nothing of the sort. ' ' Mr. A. L Jones (Wellington): "I am surprised at tho remarks of the last sneaker, leflccting on my co-delegate, Mr M'Cann.'' He ndded that Mr. M'Laren had not beou sent as a delegate from Wellington. Mr M'Laien: I am sent hero as a delegate ex oliicio. Mr. Jones: Mr M'Laren has made statements that aro not correct.Ho is here oil sufltrauco from the union Mr. J. Bruton (Wellington) asked .that the last remarL be withdiaun. Mr Jones refused to withdraw any of his words. The chairman ruled that ho couldinot.in'tertere on the mere ground that an expiessioai used was incorrect. Mr ' Jones maintained th.at Mr. M'Laren, as a paid official, had no right to \ote. He ventured to say that the secretary of the Eraployeis' Federation, Mr Pryor, did not vote .at its meetihgs It was tho duty of the paid secretary to carry out the resolutions of the confeience. whether ho ugrctd with them or not If the secrotary was to be allowed to vote, it would be "out of tho sense of all argument." An honorary offioial should bo allowed to vote, but not a paid official. Mr. J. Bruton said he was sorry such a scene had taken place Tho conference had disgraced itself. Speaking as president of the local union, bo afiirmed that tho union had sent Mr M'Laren to exercise full powers as a delegate, as ho had a right to do Otherwise tho union would have appointed an additional delegate, to make up the complement to which it was entitled. The standing orders roquned amendmont to doUll6 the position. Mr. J. Osborno (Greymouth) said Mr. M Laren s position had been discussed and settled at the beginning of tho conference 1 It was evidently a peisonal matter between Mr M Cann, and Mr. Jones, and Mr. M'Laren. k Mr M'Cann attempted to speak again but was prevented by the passing 0? a motion, "That the question he now put " Ihe conference resolved (Mossis M'Canu and Jones dissenting). "That tins confoionce recognises Mr., M'Laren as a delegato from tho Wellington Union, with full votma powers" b On tho motion of Mr. D. Casey (Napier), the conference went into committee. On resuming, tho chairman .reported the following resolution:— That this conference ask Mr. M Cann and Mr. Jones to retire, on the giound that they have obstructed tho business, misrepresented their union, and are injuring the interests of our federation. "That was passed," said tho chairman, without anyone voting against it, and, as a result, Messrs M'Cann aud Jones have retired from the conference " 'lho ordinary business was then proceeded