LEGAL OPINION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1959, 16 January 1914, Page 8

LEGAL OPINION.

HOW FAR- MALCONTENTS MAY GO

. An interesting legs! opinion has been, obtained by the president- : of the new AY.harf Labourers' Union from Messrs. Meek- and Von Haast, touching the petitions made to the union' by certain members; of , it, calling , for a, special meeting under R.ule 20, sub-clawso a, to 'discuss (1) the'finances of the union, (2) the organisation,, past, present, and future, and (3) any other, business connected .with the union-that , '-is likely to affect tho welfare "of same and- of its members. A further, petition called f6r a mooting to consider resolutions appointing a coniniilteo of three to take chargo of. .the union's books, and instructing ,the president to suspend the secretary and his .two assistant's. Tlio legal opinion is as follows:— . First Requisition May be Disregarded, ''With ■ referenco to tlievnotices. given to the secretary requesting-him to convene n special meeting.of the union, wo beg to advise you aa follows:—Rulo 20 (.1) provides that such notice, shall specify the nature of the business to be transacted. ..Tho-. meeting -must' therefore be for the transaction of business, such as can be legally transacted at- a special meeting, and the : notieo must specify with some particularity what is the business'to" bo transacted. This is generally, done by requesting a meeting to be called for tho purpose'of''considering - and passing definite resolutions, in order that tlio members who; receive the notice convening the meet- , ing may know exactly what it, is proposed to do at the meeting. . "In our opinion the notice asking for a special meeting to discuss (1) the finances of the imipn, (2) the organisation of the union, present, past and. fu-. ture, and (3) any other business tliat is, likely to ali'eet the welfare of same and 1 of its members, does not- comply with Rule 20 in that, (a> The meeting is to In; called not for the tr.insnction of. business, but for a discussion at largo upon practically all matters nffecting tlio union; (l>).Tho notice is too vague,- , 'and-does not specify with sufficient particularity tlio nature of the business, before the meeting: The executive cantherefore either disregard the requisition or, if it chooses, call a meeting for tho purpose o£ tlio discussion, jhe pro-' ' . "■ .;'.' -I : "Øog; 1 '

-,-. i.;:-y:. .«* ,;*■-' -■ >; j; 4 .i; .: ::■*■ -j^y^iK'^ ' reßolutions\j^^'S> ; jfe^'ft?v i^?Wi£: ~ ;';;"Tiio:'other..iioticejjcaltlng for.Ja , ■ meet-■ ing ''for ~ t!ie?p; u i-])6seft, . oS:-\c'oii i sidc-ringt:re--; Ro!utione : icappoi»ting*:gatJcommittpc of' thrce«;fooi;takciJcimr};cft;ofSyhe -'union's , booksi'i.tp^jinvpstiga.te ; aiMl.-VrpportSto fa.. siibsßrinelit.jinectiirgJ'andjjiistnictiirg'-tlie president '■-,t0 ,,, -suspend: his , iwoViasiistato tionVof-"suchfinyest.igatipnji"'and.'appoint-iiisftw;bsactirigjsoerotarips; is;?*sp.-far' as. fjUpatioii; ,: ;that*\arises;;iilw\ve I ve.r,-; in:.:;eon-\ busines.33^ropb£edfiis.;fSUcHlsas^can ! ' ; bo legally Stninsanted;s;!|-jW<;-'(lo.Joii>t*tliink, that the? imion; : eanfauihorisi:iSa'committee to-'-.tak^chargeVofSthoVlJoolte^Tlio. , Imoksmtisc; , remain'; in v t_l)o;ciistody2pf,t!m officers ..ofJtb.eTsocietv'J.in/order'Jths.t: the roil 1 , itu'iyi;hc:. : propprly:~:entere(l.,."lip,;, and the '''account's'''of.-itlio isocietyjcept.l) The bcoks , should' registered office, in;.ordofwthat«?persons''desiring to inspect'Hhomymay : "information required bo given! to:;members. Tito union . can'y-'-if ■ it , . so/desires/- appoint 'a eommittroto'iiivestijiate the .Itooke,.. and report.the"rbsult 'fif its .jinveslHjat ion to a subsequent' , meeting. j-vTherb, is' no objection ; to ..eallinp- a -''meeting.'. n for the purpose,'.of "considering'?■'a'": resolution worded-a s follows ;n-.VI .-'That - a cominit■iee be appointcdrpf..;.three-'members of the , union,'fo make-'.nSth'oroiigli■-investiga-tion of tlie uuioii'silxioks'and to report to a meeting to be subsequently called.'-' We ■ would point 1, qirt/.Tiowever, tliat so far as tho hooks of : account are concern-ed,-the union has two responsible auditors, who can be called; upon to audit tho accounts and report: tlmreon, and who have access to?all , books,: papers, vouchers, etc., connected with, the union.. Tho utiion:can therefore,eet a report as to', its ' accounts from.' tho auditors. ■ ■■ 'V-•!-'■■"-;■. ■' ?■'■ ' ;: . Ttre Second Requisition also Futile... ■With regard to the. second., resolution, it appears.,-to u« that the power of .buspension of the secretary is'.given, to the president only, and, not to the union, and that ,i special meeting of tlie union cannot suspend- tic- 'Secretary and his assistants, or gjve.instructiftns.'for. such suspension.' to which the president can be required to. , conform, :.ndr can such meeting appoint two acting -secretaries. Tlie rules'make no provision tortile ap-poiiitrrient-flf two , such officers: Further, a meeting of, tho union "cannot/appoint officers'. "'That"" is the ;f unction of ••the executive which, governs'.th<> union, and wliich.by Biile 1G is to:fill,, up casual raco'nescs.. If the :unioir desires to re* move the secretary, from offieo-.it must do.'so in' tho manner ep-npifwd l in Clause. 15. As, however|---we understand that thi"secretarv has been -appointed for."a vear and .vearly>sala,Tj,":i{-lie'-is rciuovctl' from ' office without csuec. suen as ! proof-'of misconduct, he-will'nave'a snlistantial 'olairh for ■'damages'- aptainst the union.'.' We- aro therefore of opinion that tho cxpcu'tive is not oWigcd to corrtplv with ■ this requisition." ■•-, - ■ ■ - The uetitioner-s have -been .ropli«t ..to. along the lines'of the logel opinion. •,.,.,-.