Council take-over bid by church alleged

Press, 29 March 1979, Page 14

Council take-over bid by church alleged

PA Auckland A Church of Christ cheque paid the subscription for about 150 members to join the Roskill Progressive Association for the local-body election in 1971, the Supreme Court at Auckland has been told. The allegations were made by one of two plaintiffs in a damages hearing. Bruce Campbell Smith and his son, Warick Bruce Smith, claim that the superintendent of the Church of Christ (Four Square Gospel), Frederick Arthur Wilson, had actively and secretly tried to organise a take-over .of the Mount Roskill Borough Council. They further claim that Mr Wilson planned to use church funds to achieve his aim. The church was said to own land in the borough valued at more than SIM. The two plaintiffs each seek §25,000 damages from two company directors. Patrick James Skinner and Charles Ross Davidson and a minister of religion. Frederick Arthur Wilson. In his statement of defence, Mr Wilson denies the allegations by Messrs Smith. They claim they were v rongly dismissed from the Saeco Bearing and Transmission Company, Ltd, on February 25, 1972. Mr Bruce Smith was under cross-examination

for most of Tuesday. He told the court that subscriptions for between 120 and 150 Church of Christ members to the Progressive Association were paid for with a Church of Christ cheque. Subscriptions had to be paid before voting was allowed.

The court heard that the Progressive Association had put up 12 members for the 12 seats available for the Mount Roskill Borough Council 1971 elections. After a church meeting, about 150 people moved from the meeting to the Progressive Association meeting being held at Mr Keith Hay’s home. Mr Hay was not present. Mr William Subritzky was in charge of the meeting. The newly acquired members who had come from the church meeting outnumbered the association members four to one.

Mr Smith, who said he had been an elder of the church for mote than 20 years, said the meeting was the clandestine beginning of a take-over attempt on the council by the Church of Christ under the director of Mr Wilson. Mr Smith said that Mr Wilson engineered the manoeuvre for his own selfish ends. Mr Smith denied that he resigned from the church on the morning of the day he and his son were dismissed from the Saeco company. He agreed that Mr Wilson had directed him to take on a position with Saeco as he (Mr Smith)

was going through a difficult time and members of the church were willing to assist him by offering him a job. He said that, before hts dismissal on February 25. 1972, he had not suggested to anybody that he might resign from the church Mr Smith denied criticising the directors, and said he was not aware of any criticisms of his own standard of work. He regarded his job as a good one and, even though he was not well paid, was prepared to stay with Saeco if Mr Wilson directed. On the day of his dismissal, Mr Smith said, virtually no discussion had taken place. He and his son were told by Mr Skinner and Mr Davidson that they were dismissed. Mr Smith said he thought Mr Wilson was fearful after Mr Smith had questioned his motives for using church funds for political purposes. He said Mr Wilson acted vindictively and with evil in. tention in securing the dismissal. He disagreed that Mr Wilson was simply withdrawing the support he had given Mr Smith for a lifetime. The hearing, which began on Monday before Mr Justice Barker, is continuing. Mr B. C. Smith and Mr W B. Smith are represented by Mr M. B. Williams. Mr Skinner and Mr Davidson are represented by Mr R. T. Smellie and Mr 1.. W. Brown, Q.C. with him Mr C. A. Dickie.