AUCKLAND RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 274, 15 August 1919, Page 8

AUCKLAND RETURNED SOLDIERS

AND THE DOMINION, EXECITIVE .STATEMENT,BY THE GENERAL ~'4 'v.:';:. secretary .- The general secretary of the New Zea-,-.land Returned Soldiers' Association (Mr. '.D. J.' B. Seymour) wa3 interviewed yesterday'by a representative of The Dominion in reference to the reported attitude of the Auckland E.S.A. in withholding the /amounts due to New Zealand headquarters. ■ -Mr.- Seymour stated that the standing Eub-committee of the Dominion Executive had carefully considered the matter, and were of the opinion that the 'Auckland Association's action was- flagrantly unconstitutional. This aotion -. intended to support the Auckland District Committee, which, on Friday last,--had telegraphed in , strong terms questioning a motion passed by the Dominion Executive in Wellington .five days'previously. This motion provided for the opening of the district accounts authorised by. the annual conference of tho New Zealand Association (in Christ- -,- - church in May last), the machinery for '. which had not been provided for at that time. Tho telegram in question had ; concluded by demanding immediate pay- •.'. went- Tho executive sub-committee was --■-■'tit : that time arranging. for the opening y.,-.of:the accounts iu Auckland and-the ;- other Centres, and replied by wire on Monday objecting strongly 'to the terms >.'■!. of -.the. Auckland telegram, stating that a . bank account was being opened in .'Auckland, that the first deposit had been forwarded,' and that it had authorised : theilibers of the Auckland District Com- , miltee to operate on the account. Tho 'Auckland secretary 'had responded that Provincial Committee did not rccog- .. '■' nise"th'e' final authority of], tho Dominion ?■'• '•Executive- over the expenditure of provincial funds., and had requested all associations in the Auckland district to suspend payments to New Zealand head- , quarters. Tho answer of headquarters .to this was to suspend the authority of the District Committee to operate on the account opened in Auckland, in con- •;■ isequonce of its unconstitutional action. ."-'■■Tho.Auckland city association, at a !\,.',',ineeting.of members, endorsed their representatives' stand, and made the mat- ■>.-. ter- public, as reported in yesterday's ".'".'papers.,,,", . ';.;;",Since tho Auckland District Committee : '- v -denied' validity of 'the action of the Dominion executive, their constitutional courso was to ask that that aotion be , reconsidered, and, failing satisfaction, . to take steps to secure a speoial Domin- , ion'conference.' If"unsuccessful in this it would have exhausted its constitu- ' tional powers, and might then—but not . •.■„.-till then—have been justified -,ia going further. There .was no doubt that the - r Auckland city association had no power, •;.••„ :legnl or otherwise, to attempt in this '■■■'■: way, to. publicly impose, its views', on re- -.:.' ;tnrned;men generally. The Dominion , was therefore forced to take •V-.'edgiiisauce of tho position, and,act accor- .' ■'.- dingly. . . ; With reference to the accusation that .. its action was intended to. block' political propaganda, tho executive, whilo repudiating this,-was of opinion that it was not competent for a district committee to promote such propaganda in . ~view of tho decision of tho Chrlstchurch ■' conference three months ago and tho views expressed thereat by the. delegates in authorising tho appointment of district committees. The general secretary concluded by earing, in reply to a question regarding the reported suggestion of Auckland, cutting adrift' from ' the New Zealand body, that measures of this kinu ! had been threatened on more than ono occasion by the Auckland Association. As far back as March,. 1918, lie had written to tlio association, which was then considering secession, pointing out that tho constitution had specially provided tho simplest machinery to cnablo any local association to withdraw from the New Zealand body entirely at its own discretion. '