RAILWAY UNION’S ROW

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 920, 13 March 1930, Page 1

RAILWAY UNION’S ROW

ALLEGED FIGHT IN OFFICE SECRETARY CALLS POLICE From Our Resident Reporter WELLINGTON, Today, j The police had to be called to the head office of the Locomotive EngiI neers'. Firemen's, and Cleaners’ Assoi ciation yesterday, when four members of the executive are alleged to j have made a determined effort to take j charge of the association’s affairs. | On January C, Mr. W. McArley, the 1 general secretary, retired, his place being taken temporarily by Mr. J. A. ' Veitch, a member of the executive | representing Canterbury and Westi land. Mr. Veitch w r as appointed by [ the president, Mr. F. J. Lewin, of Palmerston North, and began his duties of January 23. The annual r election of the president and mem- | J hers of the Dominion executive is ; now in progress, the ballot closing on Friday. Mr. Veitch was returned un- ] opposed. It is alleged that four members of | the executive who are candidates for j ! re-election walked into the office and demanded that they be given charge j of the association’s affairs. It is j stated thsit Mr. Veitch was alone in j the office at the time, and was con- j fronted with a request to relinquish \ forthwith his position as acting- I general secretary, and to hand oyer the cashbook and keys of the safe. | This he refused to do. An attempt is then alleged to have been made to use force to secure the demands, and Mr. Veitch called in the i police. A sergeant and two constables j arrived, and were invited by Mr. Veitch to take charge of the book. They replied that the matter was beyond their jurisdiction, stating that civil i proceedings were the remedy. It is ; said that the visitors succeeded in securing a. minute bodk. Mr Veitch has secured legal ad- j vice, and has decided to remain in office. Apparently the expectation is ; that the result of the election will provide a solution of the situation that has arisen.