MISSING SECRETARY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1913, 22 November 1913, Page 7

MISSING SECRETARY.

SOME FURTHER PARTICULARS. In referring to tbo disappearance of A. V: Smith, the secretary of; the Wanganui Waterside Workers' Union, tho '•Chronicle" states that ho was last seen on Tuesday afternoon at about S o'clock. He had that afteriioon posted a notice in .tlio waiting room calling a meeting of the union for 7.30 that evening. Some forty or fifty members, including the president, attended, but, although they- waited for somo timcj the secretary did not put in an appearance, and tho meeting finally had to be abandoned, the president stating that no books being available, no business could be transacted. This was at 8 o'clock. A motion was proposed that tho secretary be* allowed a further quarter of an hour's grace, but that was rejected almost unanimously. On Wednesday no traco of Smith could bo found, and representatives of tho union who visited his "batch" reported that the place appeared to bo empty. They also reported seoing tho rpmains of some paper or papers that had apparently been burned. On Thursday again tbci-o Was no sign of the missing man. Smith, In addition to bping secretary to the loeal union, is. also a member of the execittivo and treasurer, <jf tlio Waterside Workers' Federation, He it was who a few days ago moved in the direction of 'inducing'members of tho union to express disapproval of tho Federation's president and secretary in declaring a- policy of loyal adherence to tho Arbitration Act. Later, at a fiill meeting of tho executive, lie reversed his attitude, and voted to endorse the action that had been taken.