A LIVELY MEETING

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1928, Page 4

A LIVELY MEETING

OF RU.RU TIMBER WORKERS. GREYMOUTH, May 4. Proceedings were lively at a largely attended meeting of timber workers at Rum, when Mr F. L. Turley, secretary of the Westland Timber Workers’ Union, in response to an invitation from the members, addressed those present on the work carried out by the executive during the past year and presented a balance sheet for approval. -Many questions relating to the bal-ance-sheet were asked. Members wish-

ed to know why travelling expenses were so high and why an executive meeting cost so much. Also, why the union provided the secretary with a camera, and what was the object of

the photos. Another question referred to the purchase of a motor-ear. After Mr Turley had replied, the chairman, -Mr .J. Willis, moved a vote of no-confidence in the present executive of the Timber Workers’ Union. This was seconded by Mr Nestor and endorsed by a number of those present.

Speaking to the motion, Mr Willis said that he was beginning to wonder if the Timber Workers’ executive was a secret society. Not a word of their doings had ever reached the ears of members in the Rum district. During his term of office as delegate at Kuril, he had written to the secretary for information which he could pass on to j members, but the secretary bad not even had the courtesy to reply. He also charged the executive, past and present, with being Communists, or with being persons holding views leaning strongly towards Communism.

There were, he said, about sixty members in the I nion who supported Communism, and these, to a man, attended the annual meeting and nominated their own candidates, year after year. Labour, ho said, was now purging its ranks of this undesirable element, and be consideed it was about time that the timber workers of Westland returned ns their leaders men of saner thought.

Mr Turley replied in defence of the executive, denying that any except one member belonged to a communist organisation.