ROWDY MEETING

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 7

ROWDY MEETING

Auckland Returned Soldiers MEETING TERMINATED By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 23. From orderly beginnings uproar and finally pandemonium developed at a general meeting of Auckland returned soldiers in the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Hall tonight. Attended by about 300 men and a few women,' the meeting was called for the purpose of hearing a policy explained by 12 exservicemen representing a ticket and standing as candidates for election to office on the executive of the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association. The chairman was Mr. C. E. Sayer of the Avoudale Returned Soldiers’ Club, who introduced Mr. R. Talbot, leader of the ticket, who will stand for the presidency of the association. The other candidates for the executive were also introduced. Mr. Talbot said his ticket if elected proposed to alter the system of voting for the executive members by ballot, which the figures proved was most unsatisfactory, 900 out of 3000 members voting on tbe last occasion. It was planned to hold a function in the Town Hall on the occasion of tbe election when members would place the ballot papers in a box at the door and the result would be announced later in the evening. The ticket representatives also favoured the election of two delegates from every club to attend association meetings to eliminate the present policy of the association beiiz controlled by a small number of men. Supporting their leader the other candidates all spoke briefly. Gradually the proceedings became noisier till the chairman declared the meeting closed while several prospective questioners were still unheard. Cheers were given for the present executive by one section of the audience and boos by another. Similar exchanges continued till the chairman began to sing “God Save the King” and all finally accompanied him. The crowd then dispersed without further incident.