Beneficiaries choose leaders amid dispute

Press, 24 March 1977, Page 4

Beneficiaries choose leaders amid dispute

The Christchurch Beneficiaries’ Association resolved its long-standing internal rift yesterday, in spite of a meeting rivalling last week’s in name calling and recrimination.

; Yesterday’s special meeting was called to elect a new (executive committee after the [dissolution of the former (executive last week. That occasion was the climax of a I constitutional dispute, described as a “vicious venIdetta,” between the then [president (Mr A. G. O’Cain) ,and the then executive.

I The meeting yesterday was i similarly riven by shouting and uproar from the moment lit opened. ! While the acting secretary ‘(Mrs Flint) read the minutes of the previous meeting, she was constantly interrupted by calls of, “It’s not true,” and “You’re making it up as you go along.” She later left the platform.

About half an hour after the meeting began, it was

agreed to call for nominations. A dispute followed over whether adequate public notification of the election had been given. Amid continual interjection, one person was nominated for president — the former vice-president, Mr T. R. Hill — and he was duly elected.

Mr Hill took over the position of chairman from the acting chairman (Mr A. Glendenning) to a motion of no confidence in the chairman. It was not clear whether this referred to the new chairman or the outgoing one. but it was not seconded. Mrs J. Adams, who last week threatened to resign, was reappointed secretary. Another former committee member, Mr G. Griffiths, became treasurer.

New members of the committee are Messrs G. E. Turner and W. Morgan. Reelected to the committee were Messrs A. Wylie, J. Adams, R. Gooding and G.

McLennan and Mesdames D. Smith, C. Griffiths and M. Wesley. Mr O’Cain and the only former committee member not re-elected, Mr K. M. Love, walked out of the meeting after the election.

The new president congratulated the meeting on reaching a stable situation and said that the association could now begin to “move forward.” His remark was greeted by shouts of, "Hear, hear.”

“However, there may be statements issued to' the news media by those persons who have walked out of this meeting,” said Mr Hill. “You are the people who have elected this committee. You must not pay any attention to what they- say.” It was agreed that a constitution be submitted to the Justice Department for approval as a step toward incorporation. Affiliation with the national association was also discussed.