THE BRITISH LEGION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19889, 28 March 1930, Page 13

THE BRITISH LEGION.

RECENT DEFALCATIONS. DISCUSSION AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE. CrßOk OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, February 13. At the annual conference Of the British Legion (Metropolitan Area) reference was made to the finances of the Legion and the defalcations of the ex-organising secretary. About 180 branches were represented. General Sir lan Hamilton, the president, said that every one understood that it was not possible for aiiyone to leave the ship at that moment, least of all, the skipper. Referring to the exorganising secretary, and to what had happened to him and to themj he said lie was not going in any way tb discuss the subject for the very gbod reason that, when he accepted the presidency . some nine years ago, he did so -on the clear understanding that finance lay outside his province except in 60 far as policy might enter into business. All ho need say, then, was that, in hie opinion, good fortune was ultimately going to cbme out of this misfortune. The grand enquiry had begun. He had heard nothing—not a word—but ail air of confidence hung over Eccleston Square, which was reassuring. By a Vote of 70 against 62, the first 11 pages of the annual, report, which dealt with the work of the, Metropolitan Area Council during the past 12 months, ifrete referred back. The remain* ing pages dealt with the women's section of the accounts. The vote was heatedly challenged, many calling out that visitors had voted. Visitors wtre asked to go to the back of the hall. The delegate for West Ham, who was seconded by the Walthamstow delegate, moved that the remainder of the report, excluding the be referred back. His amendment, however, was lost. A Fulham delegate said that his branch had reported that the food supply in the 1928 battlefield tour was not fit to eat.

Mr Stephen Kelly (Brixton), who moved that the first 11 pages of the report should be referred back, said that his branch, did iiot blanie, on the evidence they ha*d before them, the late organising secretary very much. "We are not going to uphold crime," he Said, "but we say that if the different subcommittees dealing with these matters had done their work in a better manner it would have made it nearly impossible for tte ex-organising secretary to have done what he did. We are of the opinion that there has been something very lax with the finance of the Metropolitan Area. We have nothing definite to go on except what we have from outside. The trouble could have been scotched in the beginning." The treasurer's report was adopted. Mr F. A. Lockwood, treasurer, moving the adoption of the accounts, said that the Council to-day was stronger and more umted than ever before, in spite of the mud they had been compelled to wade through. They should have a clearer and better Legion in London.

Mr Kelly (Brixton) called for the auditors' report dealing with certain irregularities. "Tell us," he said, "the trite facts and the true position." A resolution: "That in the opinion of this conference any expenses caused by the' defalcations of the ex-organis-ing secretary of the Metropolitan Area should be met from the funds of the National Executive Council," was carried unanimously. The financial report was adopted.