NOT PAID FOR YET.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 62, 13 March 1915, Page 8

NOT PAID FOR YET.

MOBIXXSIXO THE FARMERS. TALK OF COURT CASES. (By Telegraph.— Own^Correepondent.) HAMILTON, the day. ■ A lot of organisation work in "mobilising" the farmers of South Auckland for service .in the city during the strike of last-year necessitated heavy expenditure, and accounts to a very large amount yet remain to be paid. These accounts have been sent into the Hamilton branch of the Farmers' Union, which ac a branch ie unable to liquidate the debt, and in any case feele disinclined to do co. Representations have been made to the Auckland Provincial Executive, but the latter repudiates liability, and there is consequently a deadlock, the creditors in the meantime remaining unpaid. Criticism of the etand taken by the Auckland' branch wae made to-day at a meeting of the Hamilton braqcK. Mr. E. MacGregor, the chairman, eaid the branch had been charged with not having rendered the accounts, ibut the secretary was emphatic that the full list had been forwarded. Mr. MacGregor said he felt that matters were not quite as they should be with the Auckland body. f Mr. N. G. Gribble, the secretary, Tead a letter which he had personally received from the president of the Auckland branch, stating that the Union repudiated responsibility for the "mobilisation," w'dich, the writer stated, wae carried out by the "Associated Society of Farmers." That Mr. Gribble described as piffle and nonsense, ac he considered that the "Associated Society" wae a non-existent body.

Mr. J. D. P. Morgan eaid it wae * downright shame that the payment of the accounts should have been'held over so long. Many of the sums represented actual out-of-pocket expenses. Mr. Gribble eaid he was repeatedly told during the actual period of the disturbance that "there wae plenty of money in Auckland," and that he wae not to epare any expense in getting nren and homes together.

The Chairman mentioned -that several of the persons to whom money was due intended proceeding against the Hamilton branch for its recovery.

Mr. C. Smith considered that if the local branch were sued successfully toy these creditors', then the branch would simply have to proceed against the Auckland branch. He thought the" Auckland body should again be written to asking for a definite statement ac to whether it intended to .pay. If the answer were in the negative, then the Auckland branch should be given to understand that the whole matter would be ventilated in Court. Another. matter mentioned by Mr. Smith was - that while the farmere were in Auckland, a large number were induced to join the Union on the understanding that their names would be transferred to the 'branch in their neighbourhood. No list of the Hamilton men who' had thus joined had been sent to the. Hamilton branch, and' neither had their subscriptions been handed over. Mr. Smith considered that thie was very wrong indeed.

The meeting wae unanimously of opinion that the whole position should be gone into, and a committee, consisting of. Meesns. Barugh, -Morgan, and Smith wae appointed to - wait on the Auckland Executive at'ite next meeting.