MOTION LOST

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21083, 7 February 1934, Page 3

MOTION LOST

+ CENSURE OP EXECUTIVE j RETURNED SOLDIERS IN SOUTH CANTERBURY (SPECIAL TO THE PKESS.) TIMARU, February 6. So keen was the interest in the extraordinary general meeting of the South Canterbury Returned Soldiers' Association to-night that it was decided to occupy the Bay Hall instead of the bay tearooms, as advertised. As it was, the hall was taxed to accommodate the meeting, between 300 and 400 being present. Dr. F. F. A. : Ulrich (president) was in the chair. Mr J. D. Mcßobie objected to the extraordinary meeting held in December being regarded as a joke in the town. He said that allegations were made that the meeting had been a packed one. Mr M. J. Dunne then rose to address the meeting, but was called to order, and was told he was not the chairman. . ~ , __ Dr. Ulrich then announced that as he was a member of the executive he was naturally biased in regard to the motion which was to come before the meeting, and he was therefore prepared to allow another member to occupy the chair. He was induced, however, to remain in the chair. , . "It is a very painful matter for anyone to come up and move a motion of censure on the executive, said Mr Dunne, who added that he preferred merely to move the motion and give his reasons for so doing later.

In response to demands for his reasons, Mr Dunne said that members of the association were not now in the trenches, and in his opinion the association ought to be run as such, and not carried on by a lew. He said he considered that neither Mussolini nor Hitler exercised a greater dictatorship than the executive had done lately. He criticised the executive concerning the visit of Mr J. W. Hinchey to a meeting of the Pleasant Point branch to explain the position of the executive regarding the grant from the War Relief Society. Motion of No Confidence. He moved that members of the association had no confidence in the executive as constituted. In seconding the motion, Mr J. Bowket said that up to a few days ago he was opposed to the motion, but he had since changed his mind. He had been told that the executive had refused money from the Patriotic Society subsidy from local bodies and a grant from the recent queen carnival fund. The secretary (Mr J. M. C. McLeod) stated that the carnival was conducted for the benefit of unemployed boys and girls and the Central Relief Society, and a member stated that no money frorri the carnival was ever offered to the association. Confidence of Country Members. Dr. P. B. Benham (Pleasant Point) declared that the country members had every confidence in the executive, which, he said, had nothing to do with the visit of Mr Hinchey to the Pleasant Point branch. He expressed the opinion that the War Relief Fund was not for the relief of unemployed men, but for those who were sick and disabled. Mr L. M. Inglis said that the Patriotic Fund was less than £7OOO, and it was imperative to sec that fair play was done to all classes of returneu men. This was the only fund from which sirk and disabled men could be assisted. A ballot was then lak--i. The motion was lost, 82 votes being given for it and 282 against it. Mr V.'. G. Tweedic moved that the resolution of the extraordinary general meeting on December 19 in respect of war relief funds be rescinded. The resolution referred to was to the effect that should the War Relief Society make an offer on the same lines as that made last year, it be accepted . The motion was carried by 250 vo'es to 89.