OFFICERS OF F.O.L.

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29138, 25 February 1960, Page 8

OFFICERS OF F.O.L.

No Opposition To Mr Walsh (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 21. The president (Mr F. P. Walsh) is nominated unopposed in the list of those standing for office in the New Zealand Federation of Labour. The election will take place at the annual conference in Wellington from May 31 to June 3. The sitting vice-president (Mr T. E. Skinner) is opposed by the president of the New Zealand Mine Workers’ Union (Mr A. V. Prendiville) and the secretary of the Canterbury Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union (Mr F. L. Langley). The sitting national executive is offering itself again, plus two others, the national and Wellington secretary of the Carpenters’ and Joiners’ and Plasterers’ and Bricklayers’ Union (Mr W. F. Molineux) and the president of the Ngauranga sub-branch of the Wellington District Freezing Workers’ Union (Mr F. B. Thorn). Although invited by the national secretary (Mr K. McL. Baxter) in December to forward their names for nomination, members of the group opposed to recent policies of the federation were conspicuous by their absence, Mr Baxter said today. He added he had invited several trade union officials whohad opposed in press statements some of the policies of the federation, but none had responded to his invitation to forward his name for the federation positions. Unopposed for his position as national secretary, Mr Baxter has served in this office since 1944. Mr Walsh, elected president in 1953, has served every year but one on the national executive since he first took office in 1937.

Sitting members of the national executive who are agatn nominated for office this year are: Mr F. L. Fenton, president of the New Zealand Workers’ Union and secretary of the Wellington branch of the union; Mr L. A. Hadley, secretary of a number of small unions, an executive member for many years who has topped the poll in later elections and who was recently appointed a Reserve Bank, director; Mr J. H. Thompson, secretary of the Plumbers’ Union for many years: and Mr J. E. Napier, secretary of the North Island Waterfront Workers’ Association.

The two new nominees for the national executive, Messrs Molineux and Thorn, are well-known trade union figures.