SHOPKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 2 September 1926, Page 20

SHOPKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.

■I (To the Editor.) J Sir.—Tii a letter from G. S. Thomson, , appearing in the "St;ir" he states a'j rrport in a recent issue given you by \ Mr. A. E. Lynne is both incorrect and misleading. As local secretary of the \ association and holding both the minutes book and the correspondence for the . same, may 1 be allowed to state that the j report in the "Star" corresponded almost' word for word with the minutes of the i meeting dealing with the matter? Surely Mr. Thomson will not suggest that the executive of our association would allow these minutes to be passed if they were not correct. Again, Mr. Thomson says that at his suggestion Mr. Lynne went to Dunedin to allow Mr. Thomson to com- i pare notes. That is a long road to take for such a purpose. I am holding correspondence, signed by G. S. Thomson, with a suggestion that Mr. Lynne, as secretary and organiser of our associa- I tion should go south with a view of' joining up many members there first and working back to the north. Mr. Lynne went south and soon the executive were i asked to confirm the appointment of (I. S. Thomson as secretary for the South Island, which was done subject to the rules of the association. An acceptance of this appointment was received from Mr. Thomson. The next we heard was that Mr. Thomson was coming to Auckland, and some of the executive met him and learned that he had formed and registered another Shopkeepers' Association unknown to Mr. Lynne. with rules, ridiculously like a copy ol ours, except a few extra clauses which seemed to make Mr. Thomson sole controller of the association, without any restrictions . from committees or executives, and also assuring him a permanent position as secretary. Pressed for an explanation. Mr. Thomson said he would not work under rules and restrictions like ours. Hence the motion passed at the next meeting, that as Mr. Thomson could not conform to the rules of the association, his appointment as secretaiy could not • be confirmed. I think I am voicing the. : opinion of the majority of our members in saying that it would not be in the best interests €>i our association to let any one»man have sole control of its affairs.—l am., etc., E. R. DUNCAN Local Secretary and Treasurer.