STORMY MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 98, 28 April 1933, Page 3

STORMY MEETING.

RETURNED SOLDIERS. BALANCE-SHEET NOT ADOPTED OBJECTION TO DETECTIVES. Turmoil reigned for nearly an hour and a half in the Unity Hall last evening at the annual meeting of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association. Speakers were shouted down, there were boos and cat-calls, and at one stage the meeting was completely out of hand. Slowly order returned, and when the retiring president, Major-General Sir George Richardson, handed over the chair to his successor, Mr. E. H. Sutherland, the meeting carried on with only minor interruptions. As soon as Sir George Richardson called the meeting to order, a voice cried: "What we want to kno.v is, are there any police officers in the hall!" Sir George: If they are here, I cannot stop them, but I assure you they are not here at the invitation of the executive or of myself. A Voice: I will move that they be removed. (Cheers.) Sir George: I cannot order them to retire — Above the din which followed, the voice of one man cried: "Unless they are returned men, they should be put out." Sir George: I will ask those two officers to retire, but I cannot give them an order. There was no movement by two detectives present, and cries came from all over the hall, "Where are they? Name them. How did they get in? Are they financial?" A Voice: Well, I'm satisfied that they are not after me, and they are not after any one of us. Let us get on with the meeting. This suggestion was howled down. Sir George: My ruling is that if they wish to come here as officers of the Crown, they can, and I cannot stop them. As the meeting wishes them to leave, I would like them to do so, but I cannot order them. " Counted Out." Turmoil broke loose again, ai.d as the shouting faded, a man cried: "If they are not returned men, they should get out." This statement was greeted with wild applause. Above the babble and the din, the secretary attempted to read the minutes, but his voice was drowned. A man moved that the detectives be asked to leave, but the chairman did not hear him. The man, shouting and waving his arms, demanded that the n;ction be put. Then the secretary was "counted out." Rapping the table with his walking stick, Sir George Richardson shouted, "I'm not going to have this meeting a Donnybrook. I would like the detectives to leave, but if they want to stay, I cannot order them out. This meeting is going to go on." There was renewed shouting, and when it had subsided, a man cried, "Fair play's bonny play. Give him a go." "I am chairman of this meeting, and you will take my rulings," announced Sir George. Cries of "Get out of the chair. We put you out last time, and we'll put you out again," greeted this statement. Afffer several further outbursts, Captain J. G. C. Wales had a word with the detectives and pointed out that by staying there, they were only antagonising the men. The detectives walked out amid cheers and boos. The secretary again attempted to read the minutes, but he could not be heard. At the request of Sir George Richardson, Captain Wales, who has a powerful voice, bellowed jn an effort to make himself heard. The annual report, already published in the "Star," was adopted, but a motion was put that the balance-sheet be not adopted. Again there was turmoil. Former Secretary Speaks. Captain Sharpe, former secretary of the R.S.A., came forward from the back of the hall. "My name has been mentioned in connection with the accounts, and I do not want a wrong impression to get abroad," he said. After three cheers had been given for him, he continued: "I'm going to defend myself. When I was appointed secretary in 1925, the membership was about 600 and was going back steadily. The association was drawing on its securities to the extent of about £200 a year in order to keep afloat. It was. only a matter of a year or two before the show went 'bung.' It took me 2| years to stop that, and when I left there was £1000 invested. Where is that now ? "There' was mentioned a sum of £21 written off as having been advanced to members and not repaid," continued Captain Sharpe. "It has been suggested that I made advances to men against their pensions. I know as well as anyone else that that is illegal. Had I remained as secretary the sum would have been paid in to me." When Captain Sharpe finished there were cries of "Good old Sharpey," and again three cheers. Sir George Richardson added a tribute to Captain Sharpe. There had never been anything detrimental or prejudicial to him. After Mr. A. Lloyd, a member of the committee, had unsuccessfully attempted to speak, Mr. Mooney, who had done a good deal of speaking previously, moved an amendment that the auditor's report for 1932-33 be printed and circulated to all members, and that the balance-sheet lie on the table for two months, to be dealt with by a special meeting to be called by the new executive. Appeal by Chairman. A further amendment that the balance-sheet be adopted was shouted down. Mr. Spearman appealed for the passing of the balance-sheet. He was shouted down, and Captain Wales took

his place, but he was greeted with cries: of "You're a 'special.' Get your baton." Captain Wales attacked the mover of an amendment. "What has — ever done for the association ?" lie asked. "He has dragged its good name in the mud." A Voice: What the — have you done. Captain Wales: He has spoiled your chances of helping the men who are put and— The speaker was counted out and booed. "Ten, nine, eight . three, two one, and I'm still in," shouted Captain Wales. "You say you do not want officers in your association. Do you think officers want to be in your association? If those in the hall were to divide, and those in favour of continuing the meeting in an orderly fashion were to go to one side, and those in favour of disruption to the other, tbe decent fellows would prevail." Captain Wales sat down amid boos. Sir George then put Mr. Mooney's amendment, that the balance-sheet be left on the table for two months, and this was carried by an overwhelming majority. Then, except for an occasional interruption, the meeting went ahead smoothly. From the back of the hall, men on the stage could only just be distinguished through a heavy haze of tobacco smoke. Sir George read the result of the election of officers by postal pallot. Those elected were: — President, Mr. E. H. Sutherland; vicepresidents, Messrs. H. J. Aekins, .T. W. Kendall and A. West; treasurer, Mr. 11. M. Clark; auditor, Mr. W. V. Worth; delegates, Messrs. H.,M. Clark and E. H. Sutherland and Captain E. 11. Sliarpe; committee, Messrs. J. W. Canty, A. Dunholme, H. F. Connelly, H. M. Clark, A. P. Postlewaitc, C. O. Brown, O. Blair, D. Howlett, C. V. Porteous, If. N. Robson, J. H. Sivewright and H. A. Mildon. "I appeal to every returned man to join up with the association so that material assistance can •be given to those who need it," said Mr. Sutherland, after taking over the chair. An independent committee of investigation should be set up immediately to report on the finances of the association, and clear up once and for all certain statements made about the finances. The committee should also report on the advisability of reorganisation. As the necessary 21 days* notice had not been given, a resolution was passed legalising the meeting as the annual general meeting of the association. Upwards of fifteen remits for the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association for 1933 were then passed.