S.P.C.A. to face expulsion writs

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 6

S.P.C.A. to face expulsion writs

Twfe Christchurch women will hie writs against the Canterbury Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Animals, .seeking to overturn thfeir - 'expulsion from the society/’-' .' Mrs ; Betty Trigwell, a council member, and Mrs Jackie Johnstone were exSfclled ■ from the society on londay evening for making statements to the police and the news media last November about the treatment of S.P.C.A. animals by 1.C.1. Tasman. Members had been forbidden to make any statement'during the controversy. However, Mrs Johnstone has asked a lawyer to serve a writ - op the society, and Mrs Trigwell intends to consult a lawyer today.

Mrs Johnstone had been asked to resign earlier, but she had been given no teasOn, she said last evening. Monday’s meeting was called to discuss her reasons for hot tendering her resignation. Mrs Johnstone said that

tire society’s rules required her to appear before the council On a question of resignation. However, two honorary vice-presidents and a solicitor, none of them council members, were present when she arrived. She asked that they be excluded and, when they remained, she left the room.

She remained outside the room for the whole meeting and heard the result of the council’s vote expelling her, through the door. Official notification of the vote is expected to be released tomorrow. . Discussion at the meeting then turned to Mrs Trigwell’s statements to the press last November. Mrs Trigwelll said she left the meeting at this stage because she felt she was getting into a hearing, and the meeting had been called only to discuss Mrs Johnstone’s activities.

According to Mrs JohnStone, the council then voted to expel Mrs Trigwell.

Mrs Johnstone said her writ would seek to have the vote overturned on the ground that the meeting was unconstitutional in that council members were not given the required seven days notice; that insufficient notice was given of the meeting; and that the rule under which she was expelled was “wrong.” The rule had been misprinted about 20 or 30 years ago, and the misprint had remained in the council’s rule book, she said. Mrs Johnstone said that the "problems” which had plagued the Canterbury branch could be found in all branches of the society. However, she wanted to remain a member because she had a “conscience about animals.” She alleged that the present council was not run “properly” and that the Government should step in and take over the S.P.C.A. to stop the .“personal in-fight-ing” which occurred now.