EXPLAINED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 6

EXPLAINED.

« THE HOLIDAY PETITION. THOUSAND SIGNATURES LOST. 'TRADES COUNCIL ANGRY. Anger possessed the. Trades and Labour Council last evening at tho failure of their petition to sccuro a poll on tho half-holiday question. Tho council aro in favour of a general Saturday half-holiday, and their elforts to obtain a poll had caused alarm to tho small shopkeepers, who regard the Saturday night trado as an almost vital portion of their business, and who [oared lest public apathy and the votes of shop assistants should cause tho extinction of that trade, if tho matter should bo put to the vote. But dospito tho confidence of the Trades, Council and tho fears of tho Shopkeepers' Association, tho petition, when it was finally presented to tho Town Clerk, failed to show the requisite 10 per cent, of municipal electors' signa~ tures, and no poll can therefore be taken. Tho natural disappointment of tho council at tho breakdown of their petition, was only second to their annoyanco at the cause, which was revealed in a letter from a paid canvasser in their cause, read at tho meeting of tho council last evening. Tho letter was as follows:— "Mr. AY. C. Noot, president of tho Wellington Trades and Labour Council. Dear Sir, —I received this afternoon a letter from Mr. Browne (secretary), asking ino to attend to-night's meeting of tho council. I am writing instead, as I think I can better explain that way. As I stated to you last Friday, I again state that I lost a big bundlo of tho petition when I left No. 12 Ghuznco Street, and I did not discover it until tho day before. I am sorry to have been tho cause of this petition not being in order, but I wish to state that this is tho real cause. I never did receive a penny from anybody to do away with them, nor promise of any. I am willing if tho council will accept it to refund tho money I got' as wages in instalments, as I have not got tho cash to pay for thorn at once. I shall at any time bo willing to further explain if you so should wish. Again apologising for tho trouble I have caused, —I am, etc., ALEXANDER BLOCK" In reply to Mr. W. T. Young, the president stated that tho bundle of signatures referred to had not since been discovered. Tho list of signatures totalled over 1000. Tho council had expected to have at least 4-500 signatures, which would havo been sufiiciont to necessitate a poll. The matter certainly required clearing up. Remarks which followed from several members of the council were quite "painful and free," and a motion was proposed that the matter be considered in committee. This proposal was rejected by a great majority, and moro plain languago was used, with the reporters present. Mr. Young moved that Mr. Bloch be called upon to appear before tho council at its noxt meeting, and make a full explanation in regard to the loss of tho petitions, and his previous reports concerning signatures in hand, and in the event of his explanation not being satisfactory, that he resign from tho Management Committee. Mr. M. J. Reardon criticised Mr. Bloch's whole conduct of tho canvass. Tho president denied that tho Management Committee were in any way to blamo for the mishap. After various warm remarks, Mr. Williams moved an amendment that Mr. Bloch be called on to resign his position on the Management Committee. It was argued that as Mr. Bloch had not chosen to bo present at that meeting of the council, ho would probably not attend a subsequent meeting. Mr. Young recalled that Mr. Bloch had been specially asked to attend tho meeting of the council. That being so, he askod leavo to withdraw tho first part of his motion, and re-word it as follows:—"That Mr. Bloch bo asked to resign his seat on the Management Committee, and that failing his resignation, it be declared vacant." Loavo was given to alter tho motion as suggested. Mr. Oliver moved as an amendment that Mr. Bloch be given an opportunity to attend the council meeting next week, and explain his position before further action was taken. The president ruled that this proposal had already been rejected by vote of tho meeting. Mr. D. M'Larcn, M.P., moved an amendment that tho money paid to Mr. Bloch bo withdrawn, and that ho bo suspended as a delegate to tho council and reported to his union. He thought that tho union which sent a representative to tho council should be responsible for withdrawing him. Mr. Bloch had put an insult on tho committee by not acceding to their request that ho should ippear before tho council. Mr. J. Dowdall said ho thought that tho xmncil was quite justified in suspending Sir. Bloch, and asking his union to deal with lim. Mr. M'Laren's amendment was carried by I i largo majority.