OFFICERS ELECTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 205, 29 August 1936, Page 17

OFFICERS ELECTED.

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS. MR. McWHIRTER PRESIDENT. For some years there lias been dissatisfaction with the principle of voting for officers at tile annual conferences of the South African War Veterans' Association of New Zealand, the opinion being held that a preponderance of votes was being held by the executive, which is located in Wellington. At the annual conference in Wellington on Wednesday (states the "Post") the principle was altered to allow only one member of the executive, which consists of eight members, to vote. The election of officers yesterday, however, was carried out on the old principle, the new voting system not yet being in force.

There were four nominations for the position of Dominion president—Messrs. Thomas McWhirter (Taranaki), Ben Ellis (Otago), J. I. Goldsmith (Wellington) and Captain J. J. Clark (Wellington).

Mr. Goldsmith, who has been Dominion president for three years, had already announced that, he did not propose to continue in office.

Captain Clark, in view of the expression of opinion that the position should be held by someone outside Wellington, withdrew in favour of Mr. McWhirter. It was necessary, he thought, that the executive should be in Wellington, but the position of the Dominion president was a different matter.

Mr. Ben Ellis, in view of the overwhelming majority of Wellington representatives, said that, in support of his committee, he would not stand unless voting were carried out solely by delegates, and from this position he refused, despite pressing, to withdraw.

Major P. E. de B. Brandon said that he had been instructed by Invercargill not to allow Mr. Ellis to withdraw. Mr. Ellis was entitled to be voted for by delegates only. It would be a gracious act on the part of the executive to stand up any say they would not record their votes.

Mr. Ellis again refused to stand. Major Brandon thereupon said lie would take no further part in the voting, and left the room.

Mr. McWhirter was then declared elected the Dominion president, and was congratulated by the chairm.'m, who spoke warmly of wis services to the association. Vice-presidents elected were Messrs. G. X. Cresswell. A. Collins, Ben Ellis, H. C. Thompson, J. V. Scott. E. Hogg, W. G. Marks and Major H. JVL_lUcliar,-lson.