Uproar When Union Member Resigns

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31307, 1 March 1967, Page 3

Uproar When Union Member Resigns

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 28. Uproar broke out in the Town Hall this morning when a member of the Auckland Carpenters’ Union and the National Party candidate for Manukau in last year’s election, Mr M. Peers, tendered his resignation.

Mr Peers resigned on a point of conscience after about 3000 carpenters and joiners attending a protest meeting at the Government’s economic measures refused him an extension of time to state his case.

Mr Peers, a member of the union in Hamilton and Auckland for 10 years, had tried to tell the carpenters that he felt that t’ e Government’s measures were the correct policy at the present time. He said that he thought there was too much politics in trade unionism and not enough unionism in politics. When he announced that his resignation was to be handed in immediately, Mr Peers was greeted with cheers and boos. But two other speakers, including a workmate, Mr T. Weersma, indicated that the assembled audience had not given Mr Peers “a fair go.” Mr Weersma added: “Brothers—l can’t call you gentlemen after your behaviour just now—l feel you have not given Mr Peers the democratic rights to which he is entitled.” During the 3J-hour meeting the unionists condemned the Government’s economic measures. They later passed a resolution deploring the action of the Government in removing subsidies. Resolutions The meeting called for a planned building industry programme, the introduction of selective import controls, curbs on the payment of overseas dividends, price control during the coming few months, and the establishment of a national shipping line. It added where overseas capital was essential in newly developing industries 50 per cent of the shares should be held by the Government or by

private New Zealand interests. The meeting opposed any increase in indirect taxation.

Stop-work Meetings Tomorrow night the Auckland Trades Council will plan the mass stop-work meetings called for Auckland on March 13.

The protest meeting to be held in Wellington on March 17 would almost certainly overflow from the Town Hall into Mercer street and Civic square, said the secretary of the Wellington Trades Council, Mr W, H. Clement, today.