RETURNED SOLDIERS' MEETING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 65, 10 December 1919, Page 5

RETURNED SOLDIERS' MEETING

DOMINION SUB-COMMITTEE

CKIIICISM 01' AITOINTMEi'ITS

The Wellington lietnrncd Soldiers' Association met. last evening in ilie .Masonic llali, lionicotl .sireei, Jlr. J. J). Harper presiding. in renreiicv lo the motion passed at the last, meeting expressing no confidence in tho two newly-appointed repre-

sentalives on tlie Dominion executive sub-committee, a comniviuication iva.i read i'roni one uf the appointees, Air. D. 8. Smith. Mr. Smith contended that mi such motion should Imve been passed without notice ot motion, and without at least giving those concerned the opportunity of defending their position, tie did not see!; nomination to Ihe .Dominion executive or to its sub-committee. The question o[ his election was entirely one for Ihe .Dominion executive, and the Wellington U.S.A. had no standing in the matter. I'liriher, Mr. Smith denied emphatically that he had ever expressed opinions contrary to the fteneral wishes of returned men.

Mr. C. W. Ballon asked permission to lnnke a stalemcnt, lull a niohon was moved Hint tho letter he "received," and this was su])|)Oiied and secoiuK'd IjV llv. A. 11 who in no mieerUihi tone- coiulciii'K'd the "aiitoeraiii: atiitude" ol' the, Dominion i-xecntive, who had been "holding d<j\vn tliuii' joins tor .a, luiinber of years.'' Mr. K. .1. I'. Aldrieh emnhatieally Di'otestcd against Mr. Sievwnjjhts remarks about members of the exrentive "huUlni!? down their jobs for a number of years. Tho speaker was a member of that executive, and iie apiieaic-d to the raeetiiifj to decide if he had held down li»s jub in tho terms of Mr. Sievwrislifs statement. Mr. Sicvwriglit rose to a point ot order, o.nd did iwt soy nil cbc membews were hoUlint: down their jobs on the Dominion executive. Continuing, Sir. Aldrich _said that he considered Mr. Sievwrislifs remarks a slur. Although he went away beiore Jfr. Sievwright, he had no wish to "blow I his own trumpet," but lie did most strongly object-to the inference iiiat .'lie wa.s associaled with members ot uio executive who wcro "holding douu the,l The motion that the letter be received was .carried. , . , Mr. C. W. Batten then proceeded to make his .-ilntement, and taiil that lie had been on the Dominion executive tor it number of years, aiul he was, proud of it. The control oi the .Ncv.' , V Association was by a conlcrence of deic.ifrttes once a year. As it was imjiussiblo to hold such conferences more lie(jiiently than annually, ihe work was toil to the Dominion cxeuulivc, wliicli in turn appointed a sub-i'onjmiltce to deal with matters ol' moment. '1. no vacnnciis Jiad occurred on that cominitlee, and these were filled by the appointment ot 'Viessrs. D. tj. Smitli and W. l'erry. tho matter had nothing whatever to do with the Wellington Association, and the motion iiassetl by the Local organisation was out of order. The spcakeis at tnat meeting had misled the meeting. .Mr. Sicvwriglit objected stroll!,'lv to this remark, and. asked that the statejiient Jk; withdrawn, but Mr. Batten refused to withdraw it, and proceeded to slate that the appointments made were representative of New Zealand and not of Wellington.

Resiniiations Called For. Mr. J. Kyle then moved the following motion:—'"i'hat thy iiKetingof the \\el-lin-toii U.S.A. calls for tho innnediiue resignation of the local executive, m order that a fresh election may take place on democratic lines." He gave his l-oasons for proposing the motion, contending that the present executive had .'held office 'since April last, and did not represent the majority, but a minority of members A voice: So does this meeting. Continuing, the speaker said that tho returned .soldiers throughout tho conntry were not getting justice, and this applied particularly to Wellington, ims, as far as local conditions were concerned, was due to the antipathy of the

committee. . Tho motion was seconded by Jlr

Butterworth. Mr. Gilmoro considered that by tins sweeping movement they might be jumping out of the frying pan into tlio lire. It°wojild be a mistake to get rid of tlie committee in one jjvep. Mr. Irwin exprevid the hope that iho present meeting would not .rescind the motion which was passed by a larger meeting giving thj3 present committee office. (Hear, hear.) Mr. W. Ilardham, V.C.. deprecated tho motion, and trusted it would not be passed. lie claimed, that throughout New Zealand the impression was being gained that the association was not a united bodv. The, public were seeing that the local as.-ociation was continually squabbling, ami lie trusted that the association would $eir to its unity first. As far as he could see, the local committee had done good work. Other speakers supported (he mover of the motion, claiming .that there was not unity in the association, and it was desirable to see whether the present executive had Iho confidence ot members. ' Mr. 'A. Curtayne said that, he was quite prepared to accept, tho "royal order of the boot," but he would like to point out that the executive had done great work, and was still prepared to carry on. If the executive did not suit, then they should get an executive that would.

Mr. A. B. Sievwright said that tho executive had fallen short oi what was required, because it had followed a dilatory policy, lie urged that if members desired a virile policy, they should have a new executive. Mr. llarper defied ni;Vone to say that the present executive was undemocratic. The cry that all Ihe men were now back, and I lie executive did misrepresent those men was "moonshine." It' that argument was to apply, it would have been wrong to even, attempt to form an association while so inany of the .men were away. 'IJie motion was one of a want of conlidenco in the committee.

Mr. Kyle: No. The chairman: 1 sa.v "Yes." Mr. Kyle (shouting): Ne. Continuing, Mr. ifarper said that the committee had by no means ben dilatory. Regarding the criticism of the local association, he had heard whilst inuring many expressions of regret about the local association's aclions. He maintained that Ilia association had lost nearly all its public sympathy. They had sent out their political questions over a month ago, and had only received four answers. Why'r Because the candidates merely snapped tlie'r fingers, and said that Ihe association had lost its unity. If the meeting passed (lie motion he would leave the as.-ocia-tion absolutely

Mr. Sievwright: Is that a "We have ennia to the parting .of the way.-, and if Iho motion is passed there will be a split in the Wellington Association," continued the speaker. 'Ihe ns-ocielion had done great work, and there was no reason why it should not continue lo do so, tint such revolutions would nut help the work, iApplause.)

The motion was then put !o ilie nieeling, and declared lost on :> of hands. The' vol in? wa - : I 'ar the motion. 21: again- 1. 00. The decision was greeted willi apn'.ause.

The chairman expressed toe hope that Ilie association would .bp able to carrv on till the annual meeting without anv more referenco lo Ihe executive. (Hear, hear.)

r'srmnneiit Club O.ucstion. Til Ihe ab : ence of Mr. W. I'errv. dr. P. M'C. Hilmo.re moved Ihe following motion: "That (he million appearing in, the minute book appointing a .'-pec'n! committee to e,o into Ihe mailer of a prrnianonl club be, and is hereby, rescinded."

The niolion was seconded bv Mr. a Kyle.

An amendment lhal Iho niol on bp not aci-pled was moved bv Mr. llulteiTie'.d. and seconded bv Mr. Pace.

The chairman exn'aiaed (ha! Iho object of Ihe motion was lo transfer the reinnusibilit" of III" dub n'-'vciiecf spec to I cieiimHiee lo ihe local executive. An-aiig-inenls v.cic in hand far the establishment of a club.

■ Tlio iHiicmimoiil h;i.; lost, ami llio niotiuji aimed nu;tuiuio»rfl.y.