HOW MANY NOTICES?

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 902, 20 February 1930, Page 12

HOW MANY NOTICES?

UNITED PARTY EXECUTIVE MEETINGS COMMENT FROM BRANCH In a statement handed 10 The Sun this morning on the holding of executive meetings of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand United Political Organisation, Mr. M. Cunningham, secretary to the Grey Lynn branch of the United Political Party, makes the following comment:

In a recent issue of The Sun there appeared an article in which Mr. W. J. McMillan, a member of the executive of the New Zealand United Political Organisation, and also of its finance and emergency committee, stated that the Auckland Executive had not met for several' months and then only to elect officers. He also complained of the unsatisfactory manner in which the executive conducted its business and also that at a particular meeting all the members attending, except himself, had been acquainted of the contents of a resolution which was passed. In your issue: of yesterday there appears another article stating that the Auckland Executive held a meeting the previous afternoon and that the chairman. Mr. J. Trevithick, stated after the meeting that he would be attending the conference with several other officers. In view of this statement one would naturally assume (as the executive is supposed to function in a constitutional manner) that these gentlemen were appointed to attend the conference as duly elected representatives o£ this body. Now’ one member of this same body stated that he had not received a notice of any meeting during the present year nor had he attended or been asked to attend any meeting since the one held in Auckland last July. Another member of the executive and also of its finance and emergency committee stated that he also received no notice of a meeting and therefore no meeting took place unless it was called for a specific purpose. In view of these facts it seems evident that whoever was responsible for the calling of the meeting, if such did take place, called together only a few of the members —possibly just a few friends—and they decided who was to go to the conference in Wellington presumably as representatives of the executive. CONFERENCE APPOINTMENTS If two members of this body who happened to be interviewed did receive notice of a meeting it leaves on© wondering just how. many did. It is possible it was only just those who decided to attend the conference. Mr. Trevithick states that after the conference the Auckland organisation would be “livened up” and every effort would be made to make the province solid for the United Party'. With these statements before us it must be evident to all that there is great scope and an urgent need for this “livening up” process, but it leaves one wondering how the latter part is going to be accomplished and a party made solid with an organisation conducted along these lines, as a foundation. It was also stated by Mr. Trevithick that under very difficult circumstances the party had honestly tried to redeem its promises and would keep faith with the electors. If the party in trying to do these things is labouring under as difficult circumstances as some members of the Auckland Executive in trying to do their duty to the organisation whom they represent, then the electors have a very poor chance of seeing these promises kept. The motto of the executive as conducted at present might well be: “Do what you want constitutionally—if convenient.”