WATERSIDE UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26631, 29 November 1947, Page 8

WATERSIDE UNION

ELECTION OF OFFICIALS PRESIDENT RETURNED UNOPPOSED Industrial Correspondent WELLINGTON, Nov. 28. Mr H. Barnes, of Auckland, the national president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union for the last six years, has been re-elected unopposed for a further term of two years. The national secretary, Mr T. Hill, of Wellington, will be opposed by Mr J. E Napier, walking delegate of the Wellington branch, in a ballot to be taken at all ports in February. A further nominee for Mr Hill’s post was Mr R. E. Jones, secretary of the Auckland branch, but he announced at the biennial conference of the union yesterday his withdrawal from the contest. . Ballots were taken at the conference yesterday for the election of a vice-president of the National Executive and other union offices. The results will not be announced until the scrutineers have reported back to the conference .but major changes in the personnel of the National Executive can be expected. Mr A. Drennan, of Auckland, vicepresident for the last four years, will be replaced by Mr W. Lang, a prominent member of the Lyttelton branch. Mr E. A. Napier, secretary of the Wellington branch, and Mr F. Weith, of Timaru, both members of the National Executive, lost their seats. Mr S. B. Macdonald, secretary of the Dunedin branch, did not seek re-election to the executive. New members include Messrs A. C. Dellaway, presi-dent-of the Wellington branch, and Mr T. U. Wells, also of the Wellington branch. The election of officers of the union has been followed keenly by political as well as industrial labour leaders. The most significant change is the defeat of Mr Drennan, who has been one of the principal voices in the counsels of the union for some years and is president of the Auckland Trades Council and a national councillor of the Federation of Labour. Mr Barnes, on the other hand, has improved and secured his position as national waterfront leader. There is no reason at this stage to consider that the changes will bring about any important change in waterfront policy.