CARPENTERS AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26126, 31 May 1950, Page 6

CARPENTERS AT AUCKLAND

BALLOT FOR UNION OFFICERS SITTING MEMBERS WIN (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. May 29. Members of the Auckland Carpenters’ Union, in a postal ballot for the annual election of their officers, voted by more than two to one in favour of the whole of the present executives’ “ticket.” Two complete “tickets” were put up for the nine posts, one by the sitting executive representing the men who broke away from the Communist-led union, which was deregistered during last year’s dispute, and the other bv former officials of the old union. The latter joined the new organisation to make a bid to resume control on the grounds that it had been formed by “scabs” and was “boss-controlled.” Of 2074 members financial at the time the ballot papers were distributed more than 10 days ago. 1834, or 90 per cent, exercised the vote. It was one of the few occasions on which an independent returning officer has been called in to conduct a postal ballot for the election of union officers. The counting of votes was done to-day at the office of the assistant superintendent of the Department of Labour and Employment (Mr H. S. Hurle). who acted as returning officer. This occupied the best part of the dav and was carried out in the presence of seven scrutineers. The following was the result for the principal offices, as confirmed by the scrutineers to-night:—president. Mr R. Kemp 127. Mr L. Moor 593; vice-president. Mr T. Hill 1263. Mr R. French 559; secretary. Mr D. Murphy 1222 Mr R. Stanlev 600: organiser, Mr C. Ross 1231. Mr S. McEwen 590. All five seats on the executive committee were won by supporters of the sitting officers. Exceptional interest was taken in the struggle for the key post of secretary between Mr Murphy secretary of the Kohi-Mis-sion Bay branch of the Labour Party, and Mr Stanley. Communist candidate for Onehunga in the last Parliamentary election and former secretary of tho New Zealand Carpenters’ Union. Speaking On of the executive to-night. Mr Hill said the overwhelming vote in favour of the sitting executive’s candidates had vindicated the action that had been taken last year to form the new union.